


One String

by BBJ_3



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Bottom Leonard Snart, FTM Leonard Snart, Fix-It, Leonard Snart Lives, M/M, Mpreg, Peachy - Freeform, Pining, Possessive Barry Allen, Protective Barry Allen, Protective Mick Rory, Speed Force, Speed Force to the Rescue, Top Barry Allen, Trans Character, Trans! Leonard Snart, mini marshmallows mean love, trans!Len
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-28 21:28:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 37,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8463571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BBJ_3/pseuds/BBJ_3
Summary: There were no strings on him. If he had to blow up every Time Master to prove it, he'd gladly go down in the flames. In the midst of the Oculus's destruction, Leonard Snart gets pulled into the Speed Force by an unexpected source.





	1. Chapter 1

_There are no strings on me._

The words echoed. They hung in the hair after he spoke, but the heat of the explosion had dissipated. Len’s smirk fell. His hand was still on the switch. The Oculus should have been gone. Leonard Snart should have been dead, yet – there he stood. Hand pressed on a dead switch. The nausea of time travel finally sinking to the background. Every ache and uncertainty in his body presented acutely before fading too. Was this death?

“You’re not dead,” a soft voice told him. A familiar voice.

Len bowed his head and glanced at the too young, too honest, too good face of Barry Allen. “Get out of here, kid. This is one explosion even you can’t outrun.”

“I’m not the Flash,” Barry said, and when Len’s eyes narrowed, so did Barry’s smile. “This is just a personification. I’m the Speed Force.”

“The energy the Flash taps into as a meta.” Len shook his head. “Why are you here?”

“I’m not there. You’re here, Len.”

The name rippled through his chest leaving an ache. Even the clock ticking along in his mind twitched as if it were broken stuck on a single nanosecond. “He’d never call me that.”

“I’m not trying to trick you, Len. I’m not even trying to save you, but someone is. Someone who would explode right beside you,” the Speed Force explained.

Faces, names, abilities – stories he’d stolen from Gideon and from their side trips flashed through Len’s head, but not a single one fit. Barry Allen, if he had known, might have tried to save him, but only because that’s who the Flash was. Any other speedster would let a Snart die. There also weren’t any speedsters here. Sara was gone taking Mick with her. Waverider was already gone. The Oculus had seen everything. There was no one who would have saved them. The Time Masters would have known. From a corner of his mind he’d avoided for years, a counter ticked down: _12,960,129 seconds_. What was he counting? He turned the idea – the timer over in his mind. What happened _10,367,871_ seconds ago?

Nausea. Increased appetite yet also increased food aversions. Abdominal tenderness. He’d brushed them off to time travel – to fighting for his life. Dread pooled in his stomach. Something bitter and warm gathered in his bones. Sliding his hand to his gun, Len inhaled slowly and wrapped his fingers around the handle. There was no use in protesting. He’d been the one counting down after all. Some part of his mind had realized what was happening. If Len had known…there was no knowing what he’d have done. Probably nothing. He’d probably have pretended nothing was going on and hope that his dangerous life took its course. Apparently, meta DNA was a safeguard against in utero trauma.

 "Actually, a rapid healing factor." The Speed Force smiled with Barry's face. "It's helped you a lot."

“It’s four months along. Even if my hormones and blood pressure triggered some kind of panic, how is it even conscious enough to bring us to the speed needed for this? I got into Star Lab’s records. Barry barely got in, and…” Len fingers drummed against the side of the Cold Gun.

“He almost didn’t leave. Still, a bit safer for you than him in this case. Your other option was death,” the Speed Force informed him.

“This isn’t in history records. The Time Masters didn’t realize I was knocked up, so how?” Len rolled his eyes and withdrew his hand. Whatever he was experiencing, it was real. Painful. Unwanted. Nothing he’d ever planned for, but not a lie. No one could be cruel enough to manipulate him like this. “My records don’t even show…” Len gestured at his body. “That I’m capable of this.” Lewis had made sure of that, and he’d been relieved to find history hadn’t untangled the truth.

“Barry Allen and other speedsters have been affecting the time line for centuries without the Time Masters catching on. This is pretty tame compared to some changes the Time Masters have missed when it comes to others connected to the Speed Force,” the longer he was around this personification, the bigger the ache in his chest felt.

“Just let me explode,” Len commanded putting his hand back on the switch. It hadn’t moved from where he’d left it. “It was Bivolo. A fuck up.”

The false Barry tilted his head. “I don’t decide when you enter or leave here. You’ll have to take that up with your daughter.”

Daughter. A little girl. A little girl – like Lisa. A beautiful, perfect sweet little baby who was innocent. It wasn’t her fault. He couldn’t do it. Len slid his hand off the switch and backed away. Sighing, he glanced at the Speed Force who smiled. Even knowing it wasn’t Barry, Len’s heart fluttered. When the personification reached out a long fingered hand, Len took it. His world had collapsed. He wasn’t supposed to be anybody’s parent. He’d checked. Lisa was supposed to marry Cisco, and that was the end of the Snart name. Despite Hunter’s attempts to keep them blind to their own futures, finding information when out on missions wasn’t tough. Especially when it was about Lisa. If she’d died of anything but old age…well, nobody was keeping that from him. Lisa deserved a long happy life, and he’d felt easier leaving her knowing she’d find that without him.

“Let’s get you on that ship,” the Speed Force whispered. Its touch was too cold, but it pulled the heat out of him draining the tension from his shoulders.

Time kept still in the strange swirl of being there and not there. Being part of another place entirely yet overlapped just enough to see glimpses. See the Time Masters frozen like he’d hit them all with his gun. The entry to the Waverider was just open enough for him to slide through, and when he was inside, the Speed Force let go of his hand. His heart beat a bit slower, and a nanosecond slipped by. The Speed Force pulled down an emergency seat for jump. Idiotic, why hadn’t Hunter said they had this?

Like he was a child, the Speed Force guided him to sit and strapped him in. When it stepped away, he rechecked the belting. Not as strong as the others, but hopefully enough to get them out. The panic ebbed a bit further. The Speed Force leaned forward bracing itself on the arm rests on either side of Len. Even if they weren’t on Barry at the time, the Flash’s lips pressed against Captain Cold’s, and Len’s head slowed even as he ached with want. When he opened his eyes, the Speed Force was gone.

_12,960,128 seconds_

The door closed. Jerked to the side, Len held on as the Waverider took off. The feeling of the explosion rocked the ship right before they jumped. The sensation of time travel was different knowing. His little girl – his daughter was there. Almost halfway along. There wasn’t enough time. Savage needed to be taken down, and then he had to get out. Rip Hunter had been raised as a time traveler, and everyone had gotten an eye full about how great that went for him. Staying in Central City wasn’t an option. Stealing wasn’t an option. He couldn’t let himself get bored. Bored parents were parents who didn’t stick around. There had to be something interesting and half-way safe he could do. It wasn’t like he needed money. He had enough stores and investments.

As the Waverider entered the Temporal Zone, the ship stilled. Len’s thigh muscles clenched, his ribs ached. A thought flashed across his mind. He couldn't lose her when he'd just found her. Blood running cold, he couldn't find the strength to move. Luckily, when he didn't have the force he needed, he had Mick. 

“Gideon?” Len called. “I need Mick and Stein…keep everyone else out.”

“I will request their presence immediately. Is there a particular reason I should give them?” At the AI’s calm voice, Len rested his head against the cool metal of the ship.

“Tell Mick…no. Just tell them I don’t want the others to see me just yet.”

“Mr. Rory and Dr. Stein have been informed and are on their way. Captain Hunter and Ms. Lance have expressed concern. The Captain has requested I inform you that whatever you did was successful. The Oculus is destroyed,” Gideon informed him.

“Lenny,” Mick barreled in and collapsed on his knees beside his friend.

Leaning toward Mick, Len whispered, “Miscarriage.”

Mick’s eyes widened, and he unstrapped Len quickly. His hands still as he lifted the smaller man into his arms. “Doc, get medical ready and kick everyone the fuck out!” Stein sputtered but ran ahead.

The pyro stormed down the hall. He pushed past Sara who grew even paler at the sight of Leonard Snart half-conscious and leaning against Mick. When she moved to follow, Gideon locked off the hall behind them.

The second they stepped into medical, Stein called out, “Gideon, a preliminary scan, please.”

“Ignore that, Gideon,” Len yelled. Glaring at Stein, he said, “I’m pregnant. Yes, I have the parts, and I think I might be miscarrying.”

Mick laid Len down as if he were a china doll. For once, Len appreciated the gentleness. Stein’s jaw dropped. “How is that…? There’s an ultrasound…” the doctor spun and pulled over the machine.

Len rolled up his shirt doing his best to stare at the ceiling. The part of him he’d happily fucked up, and – somehow – Barry’s meta DNA had made it work regardless. The gel was cold, but even temperature was enough to bring him back to the conversation at hand.

“I’ve seen your medical records. Honestly, I’m not this sort of doctor. Oh…” Stein went silent. The picture quality was far better than Len had expected. On the screen was a moving three dimensional image. “Well, the placenta looks healthy. No injuries or signs of distress…it appears you are not suffering a miscarriage. Congratulations?”

“How old does she look?” Len asked. His eyes traced over every bit of her as she yawned and stretched her tiny, perfect hands.

Stein’s brows furrowed. “Four months if I had to say. Of course, it’s been many years since I dabbled in anything close to obstetrics.”

Pushing away the equipment, Len brushed off the gel with the back of his hand and wiped it on the bench. “Gideon, wipe the records.”

“I am unable to do so, Mr. Snart.”

“Why?” Len’s fingers rested on the Cold Gun.

“Mr. Allen programmed me to record and save any events concerning his daughter,” Gideon informed them.

“Allen? As in…Barry Allen?” Stein asked.

The Cold Gun flew. One shot and the machine was encased in ice. A gentle tap and it had shattered. “Not his daughter, so delete everything.”

“The program aligns with your express permission which was given on January 15th, 2020,” Gideon replied.

“Captain Cold and the Flash,” Stein sputtered. “Astounding.”

“It was one night. Bivolo’s fault,” Len explained more for Mick’s sake than Stein’s, but the older man obviously understood the implications. “Neither of you are going to say anything or do anything. You too, Gideon.”

“The same program which prevents me from deleting any files regarding your daughter also prevents me from speaking on this matter or sharing those files with anyone without your express permission. Besides Mr. Allen in 2020 and beyond, there is no one else listed with express permission. Shall I add Mr. Rory and Dr. Stein to the list?”

“No.” The word came out like a bullet, but Mick grunted his approval, and he was the one Len cared about.

“You entered the Speed Force.” Stein sat down then stood pacing. “There’s no other way you could have moved so fast and managed to pull off the switch if Ray’s description was correct. A super fast infant will undoubtedly be problematic, but if your daughter’s abilities extend to you while pregnant…”

Mick stepped into the doctor’s space. “Keep your mouth shut.”

“I had no plans on gossiping about Mr. Snart’s news; however, Mr. Allen –”

“Will hear it from me,” Len interrupted his gun buzzing in his hand. “Gideon’s programming proves I willingly tell him, so there’s no reason to snitch, Doc.”  
Stein nodded. Stepping around Mick, he paused at the door. “If the timeline has already changed to accommodate your daughter, I hope you won’t let anything you might have…uncovered color your decisions in telling Barry.”

“Not some wide-eyed romantic.” Len snorted. Sliding his gun back into its holster, he added, “Also not his foster sister, so I’m oh-for-two in his books.”

Though the doctor’s lips twitched as if he were tempted to argue, Stein turned and left the two thieves alone. Mick crossed over to stand beside Len. The two shared a look out of the corner of their eyes. Before they left, three more machines were iced and destroyed at random. If Hunter had a problem, he could take his complaints up with their guns after Savage was dead.


	2. Chapter 2

When Len and Mick entered the bridge side by side, Ray outright cheered. He threw out his arms and raced over like some pesky kid. Gripping the Cold Gun’s handle, Len let Mick hold out the hand to block Ray while giving a glare of his own.

“You’re alive!” Ray said instead letting his arms fall.

Rip studied Len. His blue eyes were ice and more like his murderous child-self than he’d ever been outside of Savage. Shaking his head, Rip’s frown deepened. “And the Oculus is, in fact, destroyed. However, one of our own has been taken. We can celebrate Mr. Snart’s miraculous survival after we’ve dealt with the problem at hand.”

As the rest debated what needed to be done, Len studied Sara. She’d been desperate to see him before, but now, she wasn’t even looking at him. He could empathize. They had been an almost. Not an almost if not for the baby sort of almost. No, they would have fallen apart eventually. Sara was hung up on someone else though she never said who, and Len’s ability to multitask fell short when it came to people who actually knew him. It was hard to pretend when he actually cared about her, but not in the way she needed. Just as her flirtatious friendship had been a bandage.

Plus, she had kissed him. Though passionate, the kiss lost its glory with Len still ticking. It was an end of the world sort of kiss. That sort of love crumbled beneath the drudges of daily life. At least, she wasn’t pretending it was more than it really was.

Stein cleared his throat, and dread pooled thick and tarlike in Len’s stomach. His fingers twitched to his gun, and Mick glowered. His whole face became a thunderous threat. Still, the doctor pushed on. “Leonard barely survived the explosion, and we don’t fully understand how he did. It would be best for him to stay behind.” Stein’s words shot through Len.

Though the doctor danced around the truth, his concern was undoubtedly focused on the baby and not the random bruises and second degree burns on Len’s left hand. It was the use of his full name that caught his attention. Normally, Snart was enough for Stein. Meanwhile, Sara’s eyes pointedly stayed on Rip while Ray and Jax glanced anxiously to him. Gritting his teeth, Len stepped forward. At the same time, Mick threw out an arm stopping him.

“Doc’s right. You’re half-dead,” Mick said.

His eyes, however, begged Len to back down. The last time he’d seen that look on Mick’s face, he’d been a fourteen-year-old whose records said one thing but rumors around the delinquent center said another. While he wasn’t nearly as half-dead now as he had been then, this was one request infrequent enough to indulge.

“I’m no damsel,” Len spat even as he silently acquiesced to Mick. Nobody else had to know this was just a show.

The second Mick’s shoulders relaxed, the tension vanished from the room. The Legends had traveled long enough together to know where the truth shown through, and Mick didn’t have the skill for a long play. Arguments returned to how to defeat Savage. All the while, Sara ignored him like a monster in a horror film when the protagonists still aren’t certain they want to acknowledge it’s there.

Len listened through the plot letting the rest of the team carry this plan. He was half-convinced this was all some mad hallucination caused by his brain exploding anyways. They wouldn’t have had him if that had happened. Best to stick with what they’d think on their own. If his hand strayed to his abdomen, it was because he probably had bruised ribs. The backseat in the Waverider hadn’t been even close to pleasant. When the rest scattered to prepare for their team ups, Mick returned to Len’s side.

“We need to talk.”

Len nodded, and the two walked side by side to Len’s quarters. For the first time since he’d left the med room, he could feel the weight of Sara’s eyes on his back. It didn’t matter in the end. They’d both just been a distraction for the itch they doubted they’d ever get to scratch. Like everyone else but Mick and Lisa, she’d fade from his life eventually. He was too much work for most.

When the doors slid shut and sealed behind them, Mick collapsed to sit on Len’s bed. He rubbed his head and let out a long sigh. The pyro didn’t seem certain where to start. Len leaned against the wall giving Mick the time he needed. Everything ached. A few seconds didn’t matter. They were on a time machine anyway.

“Never do that again.” Mick growled.

Len’s lips quirked up into a smirk. “Fuck the Flash? Not tell you I fucked the Flash? Or save your life?”

Mick’s brows furrowed. “Was it just fucking?”

“Bivolo’s pink eye seems to be a contagious lust,” Len retorted. When Mick didn’t even snicker, Len sighed. “Got caught in the cross hairs. Bivolo’s gone. Not even my doing, so Flash can’t complain.”

“Barry Allen,” Mick tested the name out. “That scientist you pulled files on.”

“Yes.”

“Santini took out Bivolo,” Mick confirmed. The mob hadn’t been pleased when a top man’s daughter had been targeted. “Do you remember it?”

“Oh, Mick, you know I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Did you want it?” Mick pushed.

Len shrugged. “We were both hit. Turned it on each other rather than Bivolo or some random bystander.”

“But did you want it?” Mick stood looming. If it were anyone else, Len would have shot them.

“Not like that.”

Mick nodded sitting back down. “Was he good to you?”

“He can vibrate every cell in his body,” Len said in lieu of explanation. When Mick didn’t so much as blink, he added, “It was good.”

This was not a conversation Len had ever planned on having. The last “good touch, bad touch” lecture Mick had given him had been in the delinquent center’s infirmary, but that time had filled him with shock. All snarky comments on tit for tat protection had left Mick confused if not outright upset. Now, Len knew Mick. He knew where the lines were drawn.

“Bivolo said the Flash took a while to get going,” Mick said. “Sure he wasn’t faking?”

“Flash is quick, but his moods don’t change that fast. Bivolo got Barry first. Barry froze. Then I froze Bivolo’s leg, but when I went to finish him off, he got me,” Len explained. “Next thing I know, Barry’s feeling me up, and I’m getting us to safe house three.”

“So that’s why I got to burn it down.”

Sitting down beside Mick, Len sighed. “He got out fast. Wasn’t keen on sticking around after a few rounds. A lot of apologizing and tears.”

“And then Hunter came round.”

“Haven’t seen him since. When we’re done, I’ll go to ground. Maybe with Lisa if she hasn’t hooked up with Ramon.” Len shrugged. “Once I’m settled, I’ll get you the details. Want you involved when you’re not off who knows when.”

“Why would I need the details? You’re not going this alone, Len. Me and you – end of the line. If the Flash ain’t gonna step up or you don’t want him there, you’re stuck with me,” Mick retorted.

Len frowned. “You like being a hero, Mick.”

“Could be a firefighter. Run into enough fires anyways,” Mick replied nudging Len’s shoulder with his own.

Before either could say anything else, Gideon’s voice came over the room. “Mr. Snart, Mr. Rory, the Captain has requested all crew to prepare for travel.”

The two men stood. Len smiled. “You better not get yourself killed. She needs her uncle.”

“Damn right.”

As they walked down the hall, Len felt a growing calm wash over him. Scarlet might never want him, and there was no way in Hell he’d let the speedster take his daughter from him, but regardless, Len wasn’t in this alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Mick. The dynamic the two actors brought over from Prison Break is beautiful. Also, I hate Bivolo. So he is super dead, and Len's being honest. The Santini family did it. More on that later when Barry comes around.


	3. Chapter 3

“You better have my partner’s back,” Len told Ray. Despite the glare that accompanied the sentiment, the other man beamed.

“We’ve all made it in one piece this far,” Ray replied.

Mick snorted. “Except Carter.”

Squirming, Ray huffed. “Well, he got resurrected anyways. So since Scythian is Carter, I’m still right.”

“I’d prefer to be Carter,” Scythian spoke up from where he stood behind Ray making the other jump. “Scythian Torvil was loyal to Savage. I…I don’t want to be him.”

“Good for you,” Len said patting Scythian – now Carter, on the back.

Mick did the same with a smirk. “It’s good to have wants.”

“If everyone could sit down,” Hunter called over the chatter. “We have our teams, our times, and our mission. Mr. Snart -,” he turned to face Len. “I expect that I can trust you with the Waverider during this mission.”

“I get when I’m grounded,” Len retorted.

Stein frowned. The wheels were turning. It took everything in Len not to just shoot the doctor despite everything they’d been through together. Glancing at Jax, Len hoped the good doctor could at least keep his thoughts to the mission. If the kid found out, there was no telling how much damage he’d do. Jax idolized the Flash. There was no way Barry wouldn’t find out before Len was ready for him to know if Stein let it slip to his younger half.               

When everyone had marched off to destroy Savage, Len was left with Gideon. A small smirk slid into place. Pushing out of his seat, he sauntered over to the console. His fingers hovered over the metal. There were just so many new questions, but which one first. Obviously, by 2020, Barry would know, and Len would be okay enough to give him permission to override his current self. At the very least, it implied a working relationship. As he knew himself, there was no way he’d have given permission at all if he held any animosity toward Barry or felt the other held any toward him. Friendly was good. But how friendly?               

“Gideon? What can you tell me about Iris West?” Len asked. It was better to get his heart snapped in two and be done with any overly optimistic lines of thought.               

“Mr. Allen preemptively answered two hundred and fifty-seven questions for you. The answer to your current question is a summary of nine of those answers,” Gideon informed him.

“Color me intrigued. Care to summarize the nine questions?”              

“The nine questions were variations on his relationship status with Ms. West, Ms. West’s relationship status overall, and your daughter’s relationship status with Ms. West,” Gideon replied.               

His fingers curled into fists. “And what relationship status does she have with my daughter?”               

“Ms. West is called Aunt Iris by your daughter. Your daughter enjoys having Ms. West dress up and drink imaginary liquids.” Gideon paused. “Mr. Allen believed it would be necessary to state he did not answer questions regarding your relationship with Ms. West as he felt Ms. West needed to earn any positive sentiments you had toward her. Any answers regarding your daughter and Ms. West were to ensure you that Ms. West would not harm your daughter.”               

“Peachy,” Len grumbled.               

“Following the discovery of your daughter and implementation of the associated underlying programming, I am to inform you that I will be counting every time you express your emotional status as ‘peachy.’ Additionally, in the event that you express such, I am to offer you a cup of cocoa with miniature marshmallows; however, I am not currently equipped to do so,” Gideon informed him. “I will track the offerings and provide the beverage when supplies permit.”               

Blinking, Len stepped back from the console and reclined in the nearest seat. West was an aunt to his daughter. The kind who came over and had tea parties. On one hand, she wasn’t trying to replace him. If Barry had taken their daughter, West would have been her mother not her aunt. On the other hand, Barry had skillfully avoided having Len express his actual opinion on the matter. Maybe West didn’t want to be called ‘mom’ by Len’s daughter. Maybe she wanted to separate the girl from her half-siblings.               

Closing his eyes, Len leaned back in the chair. “Do Barry and Iris West get married?”               

“Not in the current timeline.”               

Len sat up. Swiveling to face the console, he frowned. “Expand on that.”               

“Mr. Allen and Ms. West married in the timeline prior to Eobard Thawne’s influence to the timeline. Afterward, the Gideon program taken by Mr. Thawne malfunctioned and maintained only the information downloaded prior to his death. Further manipulations of the timeline on the part of Mr. Allen, Mr. Thawne, Vandal Savage, and the Waverider crew altered the current timeline. In this timeline, Mr. Allen and Ms. West do not marry.” Gideon paused. Len waited silently. “Mr. Allen would like you to be informed at this point that since Thawne’s interference, he and Ms. West only marry in 3.2% of timelines created.”               

“And this isn’t one of them.” Len sighed laying a hand on his abdomen. Four months, and he wasn’t showing. A wave of panic slid through him, but he quickly pushed it back. If he could avoid the Speed Force and its Barry interface, he would everything in his power to do so. “And my relationship with Barry?”               

“Mr. Allen has not permitted me to speak regarding this matter. However, Mr. Allen also wished for me to assure you that this was not an easy choice and spoke to his trust of you rather than a desire to cement the timeline,” Gideon said.               

Tilting his head, Len pushed down his frustration. When hope buoyed up in his chest, he forced it down too. None of these answers were what he had been expecting. Barry was supposed to marry Iris. As freaky as their foster-sibling romance seemed to him, they were both honestly good people. Even Detective West meant well. Sure, his pushing of the romance was disturbing, and his black/white view of morality had made who knows how many people suffer in the long run, but – again – on the good side of things overall. Still, the two of them not marrying didn’t mean he and Barry would end up together. There were plenty of other people.               

“Who does Barry marry?” Len asked.               

Unsurprisingly, Gideon simply said, “I am not permitted to say.”               

Napping sounded more enjoyable than this, but Barry’s two hundred and forty-eight questions remained. How many were actually useful? One last question and he’d refocus on that. Gideon could summarize well enough. It’s not like Len would have another chance alone with the AI.

“And me? Do I get a happily ever after?” Len nearly laughed, but he wasn’t just asking for himself this time.

“Affirmative.”

Brows furrowing, Len stood. “And?”

“I cannot provide further information on that subject,” Gideon replied.

Several illuminating details but any connections between them were fuzzy at best. At worst, they were downright dangerous. Len walked over to the console. “What other questions did Barry answer for me?”

Gideon reported, “Mr. Allen provided information regarding the health and wellness of Mr. Rory, Ms. Lisa Snart, Mr. Francisco Ramon, Ms. Caitlin Snow, and your daughter as of 2020. Information regarding hockey games played during your absence, Mr. Allen’s abilities, and the metas known as of the end of 2016 are listed. Mr. Allen also included commentaries to be played while watching each Star Wars and Star Trek movie.”

“How is Lisa?”

“As of 2020, your sister’s health and safety remain the same if not improved,” Gideon informed him. She paused, and Len glanced up. “Captain Hunter has called for me to move the ship. I would suggest strapping in.”

Len slid into his seat and bucked in as Gideon guided the Waverider to Hunter. When Hunter ran on board and into the captain’s chair, a wave of uncertainty flooded through Len.

“What are you doing?” he growled as Gideon warned them of their proximity to the sun.

“Throwing an explosive meteor into the sun,” Rip retorted. “After your heroics, I suppose you’re disinclined for another go?”

Len’s eyes widened. “Drop it and run, Hunter. I’m not dying here.”

“While that was the original plan, I had forgotten you were on board. I will do my best,” the captain said though he hardly seemed to be trying.

Len's knuckles turned white as he gripped his seat’s chest piece. “You can die on your own time. Fucking get us out of here!”

“I’m trying if you’d be so kind as to shut up!”

“I’ll shut up when you’re not threatening my daughter’s life!” Len returned.

Hunter’s face paled. One second, they were in a collision course with the center of the sun. The next, they were hurtling into the time vortex. All around them, the ship groaned. Wires sparked, and metal flew. When they came to a landing, Hunter spun around in his seat. His face was still as white as a sheet of paper.

“You’re pregnant,” he whispered.

Len frowned. “Hadn’t planned on sharing until you went kamikaze.”

“She’s…she’s Barry Allen’s,” the captain pushed. His hands shook as he struggled to remove his straps.

“What are you getting at, Hunter?” Len stood looming over the scrambling Time Master.

Rip glanced up. Color had returned to his face. “Apologies. New memories cementing. Barry Allen already informed me you might be pregnant if I pulled you from 2016.”

“Memories? How much has the timeline changed?” Len stepped back as Rip unstrapped and stood.

Heading for the door, the captain said, “Significantly. If you were pregnant in any other time line, you managed to hide it exceedingly well. I only have knowledge of the event through the Flash.”

“Why didn’t I tell you myself?” Len demanded.

There was no way he’d tell Barry everything. They wouldn’t be getting close enough for him to take that risk, yet at every turn, Barry butted in. It was like the damn speedster had to be involved. Couldn’t Len just keep her to himself from a minute? The more Barry showed up here; the longer Len would dig in his feet. He deserved time to process. Time to think about what he wanted. Then again, future Barry already knew what Len had chosen.

“Time travel using the Speed Force is complex and dangerous. Further than that, I cannot say,” Rip replied.  At the door, Rip turned. “I suggest we keep this development to ourselves. I assume Dr. Stein and Mr. Rory know.” When Len nodded sharply, the captain continued, “I am curious how you managed to keep your records as they were after giving birth.”

“Hacked the system. Forged birth certificate,” Len offered.

Frowning, the other man sighed. “I must admit I expected something more complex.”

“That’s why I’m the thief, and you’re the Time Master,” Len retorted crossing his arms.

“Yes, I suppose so.”

Neither, of course, was true anymore. The Time Masters were gone. Rip and his crew had seen to that, and if Len wanted a chance at keeping his daughter off Barry’s radar, he had to change his ways. Not necessarily give up thieving forever but find a new rush to chase. One closure to home and further from the Flash’s unwanted attention.


	4. Chapter 4

It said more than Len cared to admit that their return trip to 2016 found him and Mick sitting across from each other in a booth at Saints and Sinners. With burgers in front of them and a beer for Mick, the only difference seemed to be Len’s sobriety, but he’d gone for soda over beer enough at two in the afternoon that no one was suspicious.

“She gonna show?” Mick grumbled around a mouth full of ground beef.                

Len sneered. “Things are complicated. Apparently, her usual roommate lunch got moved back due to work.”

After a long gulp of beer, Mick ventured, “Roommate’s Ramon?”

“Yes,” Len confirmed. “She’ll tell us when she’s ready.”

The cogs were turning. Whatever idea was being ground down in Mick's head wasn't one Len wanted stumbling out. Shifting his burger around, Len frowned at its half-eaten state. He'd been starving when they'd arrived, but the smell of ketchup mixed with grease had ruined it. His eyes flicked to the door. It was still closed, and the rest of the bar was still empty. Even the bartender had slipped into the back for a smoke.

“Means the Flash knows we’re back in town,” Mick finally said.

“Your point?”

With a shrug, Mick adjusted himself on his side of the booth. “Maybe he’ll come around.”

“Not if I’m not stealing anything,” Len retorted pushing his fries through the sauce dripping from his burger. “Besides, Mick, this isn’t actually public talk.”

“I’ve been thinking,” Mick began and gave a glare to keep Len from diverting the conversation with a snide remark. Sighing, Len gestured for him to continue. “Maybe Bivolo’s power worked so fast cause he kinda wanted it already.”

“What?”

“Like a drink. If you keep fighting it – keep drinking, you’ll get drunk eventually. If you want to get drunk, you feel it quicker,” Mick explained.

“You think the Flash willingly gave into Bivolo?” Len let out a short laugh. “Are you suggesting he’s got the hots for a guy twice his age? One that steals and kills on a regular basis?”

“Maybe why he jumped. He wanted it, so…” Mick waved as if Len needed more clues to guess where he was going.

“It wasn’t rape.”

Mick’s eyes narrowed. “You couldn’t consent.”

“Neither could he,” Len retorted.

Rather than answering, Mick shrugged. Len leaned forward to press his point when the air vibrated. He could always feel the way the room shifted when Scarlet showed up, but this time was more intense. Inside, he could feel his own cells vibrate as if trying to harmonize with Barry. Pressing a hand discretely on his abdomen, Len mentally requested his daughter calm the fuck down. She’d had a rough week with his panic spiking as Rip threw them toward the sun and the argument between him and Mick about Mick’s decision not to go with the Legends crew, but not sending them into the Speed Force was hardly reason for him to let her show off for her other parent. Especially when he’d recognized a slight bump forming. Not enough to show through his clothes, but enough to set Len on edge.

“Flash,” Len sneered.

Mick smirked. “Guessing Ramon told you I know, or you’d be in uniform.”

Len’s eyes widened. Shifting in his seat, Len studied Barry’s jeans and sweater. No point in trying to hide the way his eyes traced over Barry drinking up every detail. Slight dark circles around the eyes. Somehow, he made tired look good. The young man shuffled his feet like he was torn between which lie to tell. If he admitted Mick was right, he was revealing that Ramon and Lisa were dating. If he didn’t, he had to pretend he wasn’t the Flash. Either way, he hadn’t thought anything through before showing up here.

“So you're back,” Barry said avoiding a lie altogether.

Rolling his eyes, Len glared at the hero. “Savage is dead. Timeline is safe. Now, why don’t you go home, so Mick and I can finish planning our celebratory heist.”

Instead, Barry pulled up a seat and sat at the end of their booth. “I hear you almost died.”

“It happens,” Len said with a shrug.

Barry's green eyes sparked. "I heard you risked your life to stop Savage." 

"Hunter's plan offered a ticket through time. Whole bunch of fun, new people with expensive trinkets to steal from," Len replied dropping his fries back on his plate. 

"Seems pretty heroic to me.” Barry was practically vibrating. His smile grew as he leaned onto the table. “I knew there was good in you.”

“There's one thing I'm sure you didn't miss,” Mick tilted his beer at Barry as he spoke to Len.

“What?” Barry sat back.

“Len does good; you rub it in his face. Pretty fucked up,” Mick retorted.

Len smirked as Barry sputtered. “Kid means well. Probably has a tally board for every villain.”

“How many tallies do I get for saving the world?” Mick asked sliding closer to Barry. “At least a hundred.”

“Billions if we’re counting per person,” Len noted.

Frowning, Barry looked between the two. “Sara told us you both decided to stay here rather than go on more missions.” When neither immediately offered an explanation, he asked, “Why?”

“Like stealing more,” Mick retorted.

“We are very good at it,” Len acknowledged.

“I reach out to you, and you pull me around. I don't know why I keep thinking there's more to you.” Barry stood shoving his chair back into place. His voice dropped low. Len’s eyes narrowed, but before he could retort, Mick slid out of the booth.

“Santinis killed Bivolo. Can’t push your anger on him, so what’s got you so hot under the collar?” Mick pressed, and Len’s stomach churned. Stupid Mick. Stupid, overreaching Mick. If Barry had been looking for a reason to fight, Mick had given him one. 

“Was it them?” Barry asked leaning around Mick to look at Len. “Or was it someone out for revenge?”

This was why Len hadn’t been willing to connect the dots. The dots simply didn’t connect. Barry had trusted him, and he’d played the hero because he disagreed, because torture is torture even if you’re the good guy, and because he got something out of it. One night was all he was going to get, and he didn’t have to sit around being accused of killing a monster. Bivolo had deserved it. If he’d gotten a chance that night, Len might have done it, but he’d been on his way out with Hunter when it happened. The Santini family had every reason.

“If killed him, it wouldn’t have been a bullet to the head,” Len informed Barry as he stood tall to minimize of the inch or so difference between them in height. If Barry wanted to look down on him, he’d make the younger man work for it.

Barry’s brows softened. The anger slipped from his face, and instead, his puppy dog eyes were back though not nearly as overflowing with optimism. The kid didn’t even need Bivolo to jump emotions. Whatever was running through the Flash’s head, Len didn’t want to know. Every word they said sent them further down the rabbit hole.

The meta human curled in on himself as he whispered, “We should talk.”

“About time travel?” Len asked. “About you changing the timeline?” Barry flinched and took a step back. “About Alchemy? About your girlfriend, Iris?”

Barry puffed himself up stepping into Len’s space. “Are you threatening her?”

“Why bother?” Len shrugged. “Mick and I are only here to say our goodbyes to Lisa.”

“What?” Barry deflated. “But Sara said…”                

“Need a change of city,” Len replied. “You locked up the rogues worth working with, and anyone else has gone straight.”

“But you love this city,” Barry pointed out.

Len shrugged. “It never really loved me back.” With a wave of his hand, Len headed to the door. “Have a good life, Scarlet.”

Mick shoved himself into Barry’s space. “Get your shit together,” the pryo growled and joined Len who had turned to watch Barry stiffen at Mick’s closeness.

The two left their meals and the cost to Barry. If Barry had shown up, Lisa wasn’t coming. With a quick text to his sister, Len turned down an alley toward safe house six. He’d planned on taking Lisa there to tell her anyways. For all he loved Saints and Sinners, it wasn’t the best place to share sensitive information. When the door was locked behind them and the security measures triple checked, Len sunk into his favorite leather seat.

“I don’t care what the timeline says. I’m not telling him,” Len announced.

Mick snorted. “Got a few years.”

“He’s dating Iris West. That’s not the timeline Gideon and I discussed,” the thief retorted. One arm rested on his gun while the other fell across his stomach. “I’m not anyone’s ‘other woman.’”

“They’re not dating,” Mick said reclining on the couch.               

“My sources say otherwise.”               

“Your source is Lisa.”               

“She’s a good source,” Len defended. Lisa didn’t lie to him. It was a huge piece of their relationship. Honesty – even if it was brutal. “They’ve been on three dates. There’s a new meta – Dr. Alchemy – and apparently, now West’s actual brother is a meta.”               

“My source says she’s panicking and pushing him away. Says he’s letting her,” Mick replied.               

Len’s eyes narrowed. “Who’s yours?”               

Mick smiled. An honest smile. The kind he got watching a good fire. “A better one.”               

“Bull.”               

“Lisa gets second hand info from Ramon. I get mine direct,” Mick said.               

“What? Ramon himself?” Len asked.               

Pushing himself up onto his elbows, Mick grinned. “Lady with a cool new talent.”               

“Mick,” Len warned.              

“Caitlin Snow – she approached me the other day asking if we’d seen any ways to stop meta abilities from surfacing. Doesn’t want it to be common knowledge, so she said to keep it to the two of us. She’s got ice powers, but they’re outta control. Said we’d help her,” Mick explained. A frown weighed down his face. “You got any idea how?”               

“Not a clue.” Len groaned pushing himself up. “So now we’re promised to help Snow?”               

“Just put out feelers,” Mick replied.               

Len rolled his eyes and walked over to one of the windows. Studying the cityscape before him, Len shook his head. “We ask Hunter. That’s it.”               

“Already did,” Mick replied taking his communication device from his pocket. “Said he’d look into it.”               

“You told him before me?”               

“Didn’t plan on involving you at first, but things seem serious,” Mick admitted.               

“Serious?”               

Mick sighed and sat up. “She needs help. We owe her.”               

"Hardly,” Len grumbled, but the matter was sealed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mick's a psychic (not really). Barry's "dream" relationship with Iris is falling apart, and he might just have feelings for a certain cool criminal. Mix with the stress of Dr. Alchemy and what he's done to Wally, I think it sort of explains why he's off kilter in this chapter. 
> 
> Debating doing a paired fic from Barry's POV.


	5. Chapter 5

 When Lisa finally arrived, she threw her bag onto the nearest table and tossed her coat on the floor knowing Len wouldn’t be able to resist moving both to the hooks behind the door. She danced into the room.  Her curls bounced with each skipping step. In skinny jeans and a Firefly graphic sheet, she was a walking advertisement of her new relationship. Obviously, she planned on telling them.               

“What? Not even gonna get up and say hello to your baby sister?” Lisa pouted, but soon her smile crept back as she sashayed over to Leonard as he walked toward her. Throwing her arms around him, she said, “Welcome home, Lenny!”

 Returning the embrace, Len chuckled. “Glad to be back.”

“Is Mick out cold?” Lisa asked. Stepping back, she glanced at the snoring figure on the couch.

Len shrugged. “Long week.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were time traveling? If Cisco hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have believed it from anybody but you,” she said tossing her curls over her shoulder.

“Same reason you never told me about Ramon,” Len replied.

“Cisco,” Lisa corrected. “Funny. We don’t share just in case things go south.”

“Things went south, Lise,” Len informed her sitting on the arm of his leather chair.

Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?” She grabbed his upper arms and patted him down. When she ran her hands down his ribs checking for fractures, her eyes traced his face for pain. Crossing to feel his abdomen, she stopped. “Oh, Lenny.”

Hearing the soft disbelief and grief in her voice made it all real. His body went cold. For the first time in days, he was back on the ground. In a few months, he’d be someone’s parent. In less than that, he’d show too much to hide it. Their blue eyes met, and she wrapped his hands in hers.

“I’m leaving Central City. All these metas just don’t exactly scream kid friendly,” Len explained.

Lisa frowned. “Whose is it?”

“She – baby’s a girl.”

A small smile spread over Lisa’s lips as if she was fighting to refocus on the positive. She hadn’t known Len was capable of being pregnant until she’d had a scare of her own back at nineteen. They’d talked about her options. Luckily, she hadn’t been. The conversation, however, had involved Len revealing he’d thought about it before. Young Len had wanted kids. He wasn’t fucked up like Lewis. There was no way he’d do anything like the old man did to him and Lisa, but as long as Lewis was alive, there would be no more Snarts. It was only after Lewis had died that Len had admitted, if only to himself, how much he wanted the name to die regardless.

“Tell me what happened,” Lisa pleaded.

Len shrugged. “Just a one night stand.”

“Don’t lie to me, Lenny. If you’re going to start, don’t start with this,” she replied.

“Bivolo hit me and the Flash when we were trying to take him out a couple months back,” Len admitted. “Apparently, pink is for lust.”

“Oh, Lenny,” Lisa repeated.

He simply shrugged. “Mick’s set on playing uncle, so he’s tagging along. You should stay with Cisco. He’s a good guy.”

“The best,” Lisa agreed. “And so is Barry.” Len glanced up, and she sighed. “Like Cisco could keep a secret from me.” Her eyes softened as she reached out one hand to rest against the bump. “You asked about him and Iris cause of her, didn’t you? I thought you just wanted dirt on the Flash.”

“Things are easier this way. Barry is the kind of guy who would stick around even if he didn’t want to, and I don’t want that. He doesn’t want me, and well...” Len rested his hand over Lisa. “Me and my girl are a package deal right now.” When her lips moved, he covered her mouth. “Don’t. I’ve made up my mind. I might tell him eventually, but I need time. Bivolo really fucked with his head. I think he blew a new record running from me.”

When he pulled his hand back, Lisa sighed. “He deserves to know.”

“Not like he didn’t know this was a possibility. He put it in the hole specifically meant for this,” Len retorted.

“Come on, Len. Give him a break,” she pushed.

“Not gonna happen,” Mick called from the couch. Both Snart siblings looked over. The pyro’s eyes were still closed. “You know how it is when he’s made up his mind.”

“It’s not like it’s going to work out between Iris and Barry anyway. She’s still hung up on the whole foster-sibling history,” Lisa protested throwing herself down into the leather chair.

“Told you,” Mick grumbled and rolled over.

“He deserves to know. Running away without telling him puts this back on you.” Lisa reached out, but Len stood and walked away to sit on a nearby stool. “If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t constantly be chasing after you to tell you about the good in you.”

“Maybe he just wanted to be the _good_ in Len,” Mick snickered.

“What if I arranged something at my and Cisco’s apartment?” Lisa offered.

Len frowned. “Not happening.”

“You don’t have to tell him about her, but you could talk out what happened with Bivolo. Get to know him. Oh!” Jumping up, Lisa smiled. “Karaoke!”

“God no,” Mick groaned.

Nudging the pyro with her knee, Lisa sneered. “You aren’t invited.”

“Not happening. I don’t sing,” Len said. Once, he’d been caught crooning Sinatra. Lewis hadn’t considered singing to be a skill his son needed to waste time perfecting.

“Caitlin said Barry sings like a dream,” Mick sat up giving up the guise of attempting to sleep.

“Just how close are you getting to Snow?” Len demanded.

Lisa sighed adjusting to sit on her legs. “We saw the writing on the wall the second the Flash came around. If we didn’t get in quick, you’d leave us behind.” When Len didn’t say anything, her smile slipped. “Come on. You like him. Otherwise, you’d have frozen him solid even if it was Bivolo’s fault. You don’t have to tell him, but give him a chance.”

“I don’t chase guys in relationships. That’s low even for me,” Len retorted causing Lisa to slam her hands down on the leather.

“Stop it! If he throws this back at you, then screw him! I’ll turn his stupid balls to gold myself! Don’t ruin this for yourself – or your daughter. Give her a chance at having two amazing dads,” Lisa’s voice grew softer at the end. She always knew what buttons to press to get exactly what she wanted from him.

“I suppose I owe Cisco a shovel talk,” Len said.

Lisa jumped to her feet. Pulling out her phone and dialing Cisco, she kissed Len on the cheek. “I promise you won’t regret this.”

As she walked off setting up the details with her boyfriend – who sounded rather reluctant if his surprised yelp said anything, Mick turned to Len. “Already regret it, don’t ya?”

“We’re moving across the country. I owe her,” he replied with a single shoulder shrug.

Mick shook his head. Standing, he made his way to the kitchen. Pulling random bits from the fridge and pantry, he paused and turned back to Len with rice in one hand and chicken stock in the other. “If it’s the four of you, is it a double date?” Len glared, but Mick just made a small noise of consideration and went back to cooking.

_11,664,754 seconds_

Resting a hand over the bump, Len glanced back out the window. He’d never imagined leaving Central City for good. Everything that mattered was here, but somehow, it didn’t mean nearly as much. He’d left Lisa before. She knew how to survive, and with Cisco, she was better off without her older brother around. All the documents for his new life were at safe house nine. The only one he’d never brought Lisa or Mick to. All he needed was a name for his daughter’s fake certificate, but that could come later. There was still time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might have written a single page angst scene which may or may not be put in. These not real Barry Allens (Speed Force!Barry and angst scene Dream!Barry) are haunting Len.


	6. Interlude

This was dream. The thought flashed through Len’s mind as Barry’s lips pressed against his. Hands danced up and down his ribs. Slowly, one slid to press against his abdomen. Arching into the touch, Len moaned. This was definitely a dream, but that didn’t mean he had to rush to wake up. Waking up meant acknowledging that he’d never have this.

Weeping, dream Barry trailed kisses down Len’s throat to press his lips over the bump as he whispered, “Hello, baby girl.”

“Fuck,” the older man groaned. “Really stopping to say hello now?”

“You have her to yourself all day. I think I get a minute,” Barry replied pressing kisses over the taunt skin.

Frowning, Len reached out to grab Barry’s shoulder. Dreams were hope, and he couldn’t afford these thoughts. While he’d been game for a replay, the way Barry was looking at him wasn’t right. The lust was there, but it was tempered. The touches were too gentle. They were downright reverent. This Barry loved him, and that was a lie Len wasn’t willing to tell himself. Pushing Barry away, Len slid his legs over the side of the bed.

“Don’t leave like this,” Barry pleaded. Tears trailed down Barry’s face. That should have been the warning sign.

Barry hadn’t cried until the very end. The speedster had come four times, three more times than Len, before calming to a more manageable speed. When the vibrating slowed to a tortuous pace, Len had moaned. He’d looked to Barry’s face wanting to memorize this moment. There was no way he’d get a second chance. Santini had made his intent clear. Nobody cared for a godfather who couldn’t keep the rabble in line, so Len had set out to do what needed to be done. Because if he didn’t, Santini would. It was a risk and opened a door for the mob to slink back in despite all the work Len had done.

When Len had looked into Barry’s eyes, the younger man wept. Tears fell down onto Len’s chest. Each one felt like a bullet tearing their way through Len’s skin. At first, his mind had landed on the same conclusion as Mick. He’d whispered reassurance that they’d be okay. That this was Bivolo’s fault. Barry responded by biting Len’s shoulder hard enough to draw blood. Half-turned on, half-freaked by the response, Len had frozen. Blood covered Barry’s lips when he’d pulled away with a sob looking anywhere but at Len. The message was clear, so Len kept his mouth shut. If the Flash wanted to pretend he was someone else, he’d let the kid have that.

Bowing his head, Len refused to look at this sobbing Barry in his dream. That night after Bivolo, the Flash had come one last time bringing the both of them over the edge. One single breath – then Barry had been on the other side of the room slamming into furniture as he had sped back and forth in bursts. Still, he had looked anywhere but at Len. _7 seconds –_ the time it took Barry to slam around, get dressed, and run.

“Fool me once,” Len murmured to himself dodging around his dream’s grasping hands.

Dream Barry leapt forward, but his hands went straight through Len. Touch was the first to go when Len woke. As if shocked at his own immateriality, Barry collapsed onto the floor. Len kept walking though he seemed to move no further forward. Even as the room faded around him into darkness, Barry voice remained calling after him. If Len woke up silently crying, no one else had to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things will get better in the next chapter or so. Karaoke won't be for a bit. I'm currently picking my favorite songs. I'm even going through some of Grant's work on Glee, so there might actually be a track for the next chapter. 
> 
> Also, definitely thinking about finishing this then giving Barry's perspective - i.e. showing how Lisa and Cisco are timing meets ups between Barry and Len thanks to Cisco's vibe abilities and Lisa's Lenny knowledge.


	7. Chapter 6

At five in the morning, Len wandered out of bed. Though his body wanted to just roll over and go back to sleep, his mind was a buzz. Mick’s snores carried from the guest room. He wouldn’t be up for another five or six hours. Lisa had gone home after dinner. She'd forced Len to swear to do karaoke with her, Cisco, and Barry on Friday night. He could hang around for three days. Paperwork needed to be done anyways.

Stepping out onto the streets, Len stuffed his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. The cool nip of November had fallen over the city. Cool air and city lights blocking out the stars – Len had loved the intangible shield of electricity as if the universe couldn’t get through to him. Now, only the cool air really did anything for him. Taking a deep breath, he walked down the streets. There were a few people. Groups of college students and other party goers wandering home in the early morning. A few cars passed. Early risers on their way to somewhere boring. The tall buildings, the noise despite the quiet – this was his home.                

“Damn it,” Len grumbled.

Staying wasn’t an option. Barry was the sort to ask questions. Questions Len never intended to answer. Questions Len knew he would eventually answer. All the more reason not to say a thing. There were no strings on him. If future Barry wanted to press the issue, he just screwed present Barry over. Nobody made Len do anything. If he saved the world, it was because it was convenient, or the price was right. If he robbed a bank or killed a mob boss, it was just what he did. He was good at it.

Turning down a side street toward the nearest open coffee shop, Len sighed. He’d be a good dad too. His daughter would know the truth. Maybe not about her other dad. Maybe not right away. But she’d know the important parts. She was a speedster. He couldn’t really avoid the meta talk, and eventually, if he didn’t tell her, she’d find out from the wrong person – like Barry. Kid was smart. Female speedster shows up however many years after Len disappears. Barry Allen was naive, but he’d put two and two together for that. Those were the sort of lies kids never got over. The sort of lies Len wouldn’t ever tell his daughter. Which meant he had to tell Barry.

Stepping up to the counter, he ordered hot chocolate. If the cashier raised an eyebrow in his direction, she could shove her judgments up her hipster ass. When the barista called out: “Mr. Wynters!” Len grabbed the mug. He didn’t have anywhere better to be. This wasn’t the place anyone he knew would show up in, so sticking around was fine.

“Cocoas not cocoa without mini marshmallows.”

Len glanced over his shoulder at Barry. He had a fresh bag of mini marshmallows in one hand held out toward Len like a peace offering. Grabbing them, Len continued toward a seat. Barry trailed after like some touch-starved street dog. Taking a seat where a nearby advertisement blocked the shop's cameras, Len turned his attention to Barry. The hero remained standing. His hair was a mess. Instead of neatly coiffed back, it fell about his face. Made him look younger in an unsettling way. He’d slept with this man. Barry Allen was seventeen years younger than him. Not the age gap Len wanted to think about. Not an age gap that would have mattered if they’d been anything more than a mistake.

“Got something to say, kid?” Len pushed.

Barry’s eyes flicked up to meet Len’s. He flinched back – almost imperceptible, but Len had learned to watch for the small, fast moments back when the two were more consistently enemies. Running a hand through his hair, Barry opened his mouth, but nothing came out. All the while, Len waited. Pulling a knife from his pocket, he cut open the bag. If the other flinched again at the knife, he eased a bit when Len popped a marshmallow into his mouth. Counting out ten, Len dropped them one by one into his mug watching Barry with a raised brow.

“If you plan on sticking around, might as well take a seat. Don’t want to draw attention after all,” Len drawled.

The air vibrated. It ran down through Len’s bones, and – for the first time – Len watched as Barry sped up faster than Len should have been able to see. Panicked that he’d be caught, Len stayed still. Barry, however, jumped from one seat to the next muttering to himself. His eyes glanced to Len, and then he moved to a different seat a bit further away. Then back again. Everyone else was frozen. There weren’t any cameras directly on this spot – part of the reason Len had picked it, so Barry could fuss over his seat as much as he wanted. Each time he moved further away, the speedster paused then swore and moved closer. Eventually, Barry collapsed back into the seat to Len’s right. Their knees were almost touching. When Barry lifted his head, still moving at a speed fast enough to make the world stand still, there were tears in his eyes as he looked at Len. The hero stood.

Settling back into position as if he’d never moved at all, Barry slowed back down and said, “I’d rather not.”

“Thought you said we should talk. I’m here. You’re here. Talk,” Len retorted. When Barry said nothing, Len scoffed. “What? Cold feet?”

“No, we should talk,” Barry agreed.

“Then maybe you should sit,” Len said gesturing to the seat to his right.

Barry leaned as if the gesture had magnetized him and the chair. In the end, however, he remained standing. “This was a bad idea.”

“We’ve got karaoke on Friday. Probably better to clear the air without the added drama of my darling sister and Ramon,” Len pointed out, and that got Barry into the seat.

The Flash sat down pointedly keeping their knees as far apart as possible. “I’m sorry.”

Len smirked into his cocoa. “What for?”

“Everything.”

Raising an eyebrow, the older man sat back into his chair. If his knee moved closer to Barry’s, it was only to test how quickly Barry would adjust to shift his knee away. “Do go on.”

“There’s good in you, and I shouldn’t have reacted like that yesterday. You were asking about me – my life, and I immediately got defensive. You’re not Captain Cold anymore,” Barry explained.

“I’m still Captain Cold. That’s what got me the gig. Only difference is you’re no longer on my list,” Len retorted. It wasn’t entirely true. Barry had never been on his list, but the kid wouldn’t have believed that.

“I want us to be friends, Snart.”

“Then maybe don’t call me by my last name,” Len replied.

Green eyes darted up to blue. “Len?”

The real Barry said it in the same soft manner as the Speed Force had. For a brief moment, Len wondered if he'd stumbled back there. Maybe he'd never really left, but then he saw the tension around Barry's eyes. The Speed Force had said the name like a promise. This Barry just saw it as comparable to the diminution of his own Bartholomew. Letting the heat of the cocoa leak into his hands, Len shrugged.

“Sure, why not.”

Barry’s hands twitched in a half-aborted gesture that Len couldn’t decipher. “My best friend is dating your sister. You and Mick are good guys now. I want us to be friends, Len. It just feels right.”

Nodding, Len put down his mug. “Was this it?”

“What?”

“Fine. We’re on good terms. Ramon’s a good in my book.” Len shrugged. “Doesn’t change a thing, Scarlet.”

Barry shifted to the edge of his chair. “We’re on the same side now.”

“You forget. Mick and I are heading to greener pastures.” Standing, Len left the marshmallows and half-drunk cocoa on the small table. Barry jumped to his feet.

“It means you don’t have to leave!”

Face to face, they stood close together. Barry’s hands twitched again. The blur of them calming when he clenched them into fists. This reckless, over-powered twenty-six-year-old had impregnated him. From his idealistic bones to his heart-melting smile, Barry was a heroic poster boy. He had a day and drink named after his pseudonym. Plenty of men younger than him had raised children. His age alone didn’t disqualify him. It was his relentless optimism. How many times had Barry trusted the wrong person? How many times had the Flash nearly died to save the day? Barry would never give up his heroics, and Len wasn’t raising his daughter with someone who could one day end a bloody smear on the pavement.

They’d never work together. This tension between them was toxic. Tempting and almost – always almost but never actually real. It was tempting to tell him now. Barry couldn’t out speed him. Not while his daughter vibrated along with her dad. If Barry pushed, he could get out now. Screw his promise to Lisa. She’d understand. All he had to do was tell the other man. Just open his mouth and say he was pregnant. That he was pregnant and keeping her. That she had speed powers. That she was his, and whatever thoughts Barry had about responsibility could stay stuffed inside him.

“My leaving has nothing to do with you,” Len lied instead.

“Why are you leaving then?”

“Bivolo.”

It was cruel. Even as the name slipped out, Len knew it was too close to the truth. Barry jerked back as if struck. His face paled. Len’s eyes narrowed. Perhaps Mick had been on to something, but the bite - all of his reassurances had been rejected. Barry hadn't even asked if he was okay. He'd sped off like a coward. Len had given him time to come back. Getting out of the bed had taken a bit, and he'd showered before leaving the safe house. Thirty-eight minutes between Barry's escape and when Len left the safe house, but the younger hadn't come back. He's panicked, left without explanation. Still, Barry did a good number of stupid things on a daily basis. 

Just in case, Len added, “Santinis made it clear what they’d do if I didn’t keep my end of the deal. Bivolo was one of mine. If you hadn’t stopped me, I would have killed him.”

“Joe and I can help. We’ve been working on a case against them for months. With your intel, we could take them down. You don’t have to leave,” Barry pleaded. “I can protect you.”

“Like you protected me from Bivolo?” Len drawled, but with a sigh, he forced himself to say, “Sorry, that was a little cold – even for me. Mick thought you might think I put that on you.”

“Mick knows?”

If any more blood rushed from Barry’s face, he’d probably faint. He did look a little wobbly on his feet. The hero lurched backwards. He then shifted sideways putting some distance between him and Len. Despite his movement, Barry remained between Len and the door.

“Extenuating circumstances. Unfortunate, but if you’re worried about rumors flying, I’d be more concerned with the fact that Lisa knows,” Len replied glancing around for another exit.

“Oh my god,” Barry groaned rubbing his face with his hands. “Snart –,” he stopped and corrected himself, “Len, I’m so sorry.”

“We both got hit. Not like either of us had much choice.”

Green eyes dropped to the floor. “Yeah, I guess.”

Len took a step closer, and Barry stumbled backward. Walking forward until he had a clear path to the door, Len sidestepped putting himself between the Flash and the exit. “What happened wasn’t your fault. Bivolo hit us both. We made due. Had some fun. Nobody got hurt.” Barry’s hands twitched again. This time, Len caught them moving his way before quickly falling back to the hero’s sides. “Well, you did break the bedroom door and a dresser on your way out, but I let Mick torch the place, so not like it mattered.”

“I read your records. You did an awful lot to cover up…and now I know,” Barry rubbed his arm looking anywhere but at Len – just like Sara had.

Len sighed. “Not something I’d like getting around.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t – I mean that’s totally not something I’d – I swear I haven’t told anybody,” Barry sputtered. “You’re not mad I know?”

Len swaggered closer to Barry and whispered, “Your dick vibrates. I’m not mad, Barry.” Leaning back, Len snickered. “Even your blush is fast and scarlet. Don’t worry, kid. Future Mrs. Allen never has to know. It’ll be our little secret.”

“And Mick’s and Lisa’s.”                

“Are both very good at keeping secrets,” Len pointed out.

When Len’s hand was on the door, Barry called, “Len?” He paused and glanced back over his shoulder. “Please don’t go.”

“There are no strings on me,” Len replied. Leaving Barry to ponder his meaning, Len slipped out the door and into the early morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One step forward, two steps back. Cha-cha-cha.


	8. Chapter 7

The karaoke was dark with the faint smell of sweat, perfume and cocktails. A dozen or so people were scattered throughout. A trio of girls laughing over vodka at the bar stalked Barry with their eyes. They looked at Len too. His icy disposition guided their eyes away. Barry’s wide, though tentative smile gave them cause to keep looking. Lisa’s arm curled possessively through Cisco’s as if the doe eyes they sent each other weren’t enough to keep everyone else off.

When they find a table, Barry hesitated. He remained standing while everyone else sat. “Beer? I’m gonna get us some drinks – yeah, drinks are a good idea. Not that I can get drunk, but you guys can, so – yeah, beer?”

“Water for me,” Len said.

“Are you sure? It’s on me,” Barry offered.

Lisa laughed. “Lenny hasn’t been big on drinking since he got back.”

“Wait,” Cisco leaned forward. “Medical? Did you see a paper or something? Should we drink?”

Calming the panic at Cisco’s sudden curiosity, Len shook his head. “Not a fan of drinking in unfamiliar places.”

Before Cisco could press, Lisa held up her boyfriend’s phone. “You going to override the playlist, or should I?”

“Override?” Barry asked. Then, thinking better of it, he shook his head. “Two waters and two beers.”            

“Sounds good,” Lisa said as Cisco clicked away.

Len studied the pair. They seemed happy. A lot of casual touches. Neither one stopped smiling. There was an edge to his sister’s smile. Something which screamed she was plotting. Len wasn’t surprised. This entire night was a scheme to get him to confess to Barry. If Lisa ended up disappointed, it was her own fault.

“What songs are you two lovebirds adding?” Len asked.

Cisco glanced up. “Just a few duets, a wider international section – cause their Latin game is weak. I also might have requested Barry sing a certain Posner song.”

“You didn’t,” Lisa groaned.

Cisco held up a finger. “It is appropriate.”

“It’s asking for trouble,” Lisa retorted crossing her arms.

“What’s asking for trouble?” Barry set the drinks down on the table.

Cisco beamed up at his best friend. “Lisa and I planned a romantic duet; then you’re up.”

“Wait a minute, what did you pick for me?” Barry asked. Cisco laughed, and without answering, Cisco and Lisa headed to the stage. “Cisco!”

“Take a seat, Scarlet. You’re scaring the villagers,” Len drawled, pushing out the seat across the seat across from him where Cisco had sat.

Barry slipped around the pushed out seat sitting, instead, right beside Len. The table was small enough to put them in close quarters. While the hero had avoided direct contact in the coffee shop, he let his elbow brush against Len’s. A few days didn’t change a person completely. There was still the buzz around his movements. If Len’s eyes hadn’t been able to catch the slips, Barry might have passed as almost casual.

Barry leaned closer and asked, “They tell you what they’re planning?”

“It started with hacking the karaoke system. Rather impressive. I didn’t think my baby sister would talk Cisco into anything illegal that quickly,” Len replied.           

Before Barry could respond, Lisa and Cisco’s song began. Lisa was a decent singer made all the more enjoyable for her enthusiasm. The song, however, wasn’t familiar to Len.           

“I know a thousand tales to fill a thousand nights, but now another story comes to mind!” Lisa sang. “A noble, young vizier ascends to wondrous heights. He's brilliant as he's handsome, and handsome as he's kind.”           

Laughing, Barry shook his head. “I should have known.”           

“What even is this?”         

“A Thousand and One Nights from an internet musical. Cisco was friends with the writer, so when it came out a couple months ago, he had a watch party. It was right after Lisa had moved it,” the speedster explained.

“Cute.”

It was cute. Both could carry a tune, but they didn’t seem to care. Cisco smirked cheekily when he sang never looking away from Lisa. She pulled out every named 90s dance move she knew. They were a beautiful mix of adorable and comfortable. Len had never seen Lisa so relaxed. She melted every time Cisco touched her. Though she’d never been fond of anyone touching her hair as Lewis had dragged and thrown her by it too many times, she leaned into the caress every time Cisco brushed it out of her face.

Any uncertainty which had remained faded. Leaving was the right choice. Lisa was strong enough without him. Cisco would look out for her. The scientist wouldn’t assume she was fragile. Hopefully, they’d wait at least a year before setting a date for a wedding. Glancing around at the other patrons, Len rolled his eyes when he noticed the girls in the corner. One would be coming over soon. Maybe the whole group would cycle through.

“My turn,” Barry said drawing Len’s attention back to him. The hero smiled as he walked away.

Lisa laughed sliding into the seat where Barry had been. When Barry started his song, her nose scrunched up. “I can’t believe you’re making him sing this.        

“Wait and see! I know how Barry thinks!” Cisco returned.

“If I could write you a song to make you fall in love, I would already have you up under my arm,” Barry sang out. He had a good voice, but the words set Len on edge. “I used up all my tricks, I hope that you like this. But, you probably won't, you think you're cooler than me.”           

At the last line, Len slid his eyes to Cisco and raised a single brow. Holding up his hands, Cisco laughed. “Iris dumped him.”           

“If he were anyone else, I’d offer him a post-break up drink,” Len drawled. He could feel Lisa’s eyes on him. Keeping his face as blank and uninterested as possible, Len shifted to face Cisco rather than watch Barry. “More importantly, I owe you a shovel talk.”           

“I’ve seen you at your worst,” Cisco told him. “We’re good.”           

“I like you, Cisco. You make my sister happy. You build one hell of a gun. If it was anybody else, I’d have second thoughts about leaving Central City,” Len explained, raising his glass of water in a faux cheer.           

Cisco’s smile, which had grown throughout Len’s mini speech, slid away. “So you’re seriously leaving?”           

“Time travel changes a man’s perspective on life.”           

Lisa rolled her eyes. “See, Cisco. My brother’s mind is all made up.”           

“I never thought I’d see the day when Captain Cold left Central City,” Cisco said. His eyes flicked back to the stage.           

Len followed his attention. Barry’s smile was strained. The girls were out of their chairs dancing, and a few of the other patrons were giving him appraising glances. When Barry’s green eyes met Len’s blue, they focused. Apparently, post-break-up Barry didn’t go for rebounds. He kept Len’s gaze as he finished. It wasn’t a particularly romantic song, and the speedster had lost whatever enthusiasm he’d had for the words in the beginning. When Barry finished, he sighed with relief and fled the stage. He sat on Len’s other side.           

“I promise the song I picked is better,” Lisa said reaching over the table to pat Barry’s hand.           

Shrugging, Barry glanced over to Len. “It wasn’t a bad song.”            

“Not exactly your style,” Len noted.           

“I promised Lisa I’d let her and Cisco pick the playlist,” Barry told him.           

“You’ve a tendency for dramatics,” Lisa said.           

“What? No, I’m not dramatic,” Barry defended. “Come on, Cisco – you know I’m not.”           

“Spicy pepper,” Cisco retorted.           

Lisa pointed at Cisco. “Spicy pepper incident!”           

“That was completely different. I was proving a point!” Barry argued.           

“Spicy pepper?” Len asked.           

“Barry was hung up on this girl. She broke up with him, and he ate a spicy pepper to get her back. Dude’s got no spice tolerance. He was a mess for the rest of the day,” Cisco explained.

“You make it sound stupid,” Barry complained.           

“I don’t think he had to try hard,” Len commented, running his thumb through the condensation on the outside of his class.           

“I’m a romantic. Sue me! Normally, I’d have gone with something more classic like chocolate or roses, but she wasn’t that sort of woman. Big gestures – they matter to people. She thought I was hung up on Iris, but I wasn’t!” The speedster shifted his chair closer to Len. “I don’t even think I wanted to date her. I just thought – I don’t know – that it’s just how things went. With Thawne and Joe – everybody was Team West-Allen, and I – it’s stupid, but I didn’t want to disappoint them.”           

“You didn’t want to disappoint the man who killed your mother?” Len had always been good at turning words back on people. If a flash of guilt washed over him, he would still be able to meet his own eyes in a mirror.           

Running a hand through his hair, Barry sighed. “Kind of.”           

“Wait, really?” Cisco asked. “Cause that’s messed up.”           

“You saw the article Iris wrote in the future. Byline said, ‘West-Allen.’ I didn’t exactly get time travel as thoroughly then, so it seemed inevitable,” Barry admitted, shifting back in his seat as if to put as much distance between him and everyone else as possible.           

“The Gideon that Thawne brought back broke. It wasn’t able to keep up with the shifting timelines once it was isolated from the traceable system by Thawne,” Len informed the table.           

Barry’s eyes widened. “Please tell me you’re not saying that to make me feel better.”           

“I'm not that nice,” Len said.          

“Well – not that this isn’t exciting, but I’m up.” Lisa kissed Cisco on the cheek, before sauntering to the stage.           

Len sat back toying with the droplets on edge of his glass. Barry had gotten him ice water though the speedster’s own glass went without. Though presumptive, it had been a correct guess. Across the table, Cisco sipped on his beer watching Len. It wasn’t the wary stare he’d done before. That had been an animalistic prey instinct compared to the calculated examination Cisco had aimed his way. Taking a sip from his water, Len raised a brow at Cisco. If Cisco intended to say anything, he was distracted as Lisa began to sing.           

“No,” Cisco gasped.           

A smirk played across Lisa’s lips as she danced, singing in Spanish, “Ven y besame mucho, el mundo no importa! La noche comienza – no, no, no pares ahora!”           

“She can speak Spanish!” Cisco threw his hands up. “When did she learn Spanish?”           

“Maybe she’s just memorized the song,” Barry suggested, causing Len to chuckle. Green eyes darted to Len who shook his head.           

“She started practicing after we kidnapped Cisco,” Len admitted.           

“Why is that so sexy?” Cisco groaned.           

Barry shrugged. “That’s between you two.”           

“I argued with Dante last week about my relationship with Lisa. I told him I planned on marrying her. We were talking in Spanish. I didn’t think she’d understand,” Cisco confessed. Throughout the whole conversation, his eyes never left Lisa.           

Lips twisting into a smirk, Len glanced up at his sister. “My sister wouldn’t have learned Spanish if she wasn’t serious about you.”           

When Lisa made her way down from the stage, she slunk over to Cisco with a mischievous smile. The pair kissed to the cheers of a rowdy group of patrons at the bar. While they murmured sweet nothings at each other, Barry laughed.           

“Guess that means I’m up,” the hero said.           

Watching Barry walk to the stage, Len smirked when the Flash glanced back meeting his eyes. The music came in low and slow, but the tune was already a better fit for Barry’s voice than the last one. As the pace picked up, Barry’s smile grew.           

“Ugh,” Cisco groaned rolling his eyes. “Little on the nose.”           

“Pretty-boy boy-band suits him,” Len retorted before his sister could defend her selection.           

Lisa smirked. “Doesn’t it?” Pulling Cisco’s phone from his pocket, she slid it toward Len. “You’re next.”           

“Pass.”           

“Come on. It’s fun,” Lisa insisted.           

“And my song list is way better than their usual,” Cisco pointed out.           

Len rolled his eyes. “Surprised we haven’t had any complaints about you hacking the system.”           

“Not hacking. Modifying – I called ahead,” Lisa corrected and pushed the phone against Len’s hand until he picked it up.           

Glancing back at the stage as Barry repeated how his universe would never be the same, Len sighed. All fight drained. Barry and Iris had broken up. The speedster didn’t seem terribly upset by it. If anything, he seemed more at ease than when Len had seen him earlier. Bouncing around the stage, Barry kept eye contact with Len, and a dangerous spark of hope pressed against Len’s better judgment.

Selecting the song, Len pushed it back toward Lisa. Her eyes fell on the highlighted title, and her lips parted as she glanced up at her brother. His agreement to sing went beyond his intentions. Singing had been a piece of him Lewis had chipped away. Love had been too. The idea that anyone could look at Len and see something worth tying themselves too – a possibility Lewis had beaten out of him twice over when he hadn’t been able to bear their father teaching Lisa the same lesson. He’d hoped to slink by unnoticed and watch his sister drift into a better life. He wanted to see her happy before he faced the biggest, most important plan of his life. 

When Barry ran back to their table, he vibrated with adrenaline. His eyes finally left Len when he saw the way Lisa’s fingers curled with Cisco’s as if his touch was all that kept her on the ground. Normally her poker face was better, but she'd always been the more empathetic. 

“What did I miss?” the speedster asked.

“Len’s gonna sing,” Lisa turned over the phone, having already sent it through.

Barry’s eyes flicked back to Len. “That's great. Lisa says you've got a fantastic voice.”

“Debatable,” Len drawled. Standing, he stepped around Barry on his way to the stage.

The music started softly. Violins, guitars, and drums sounded. It was just like he remembered from when Lisa had played it on a loop the month after she met Cisco. The melody and memory flowed through him. Though Lewis Snart wasn’t alive to be lurking in a shadowed corner, there were enough demons in the room to set fire along Len’s nerves. For the first time that night, he wished his gun was at his side. 

“Give me love like her…” Len sang as Barry turned to face him. The speedster froze, standing in front of their table. His brows furrowed, and his green eyes soft. “Cause lately I’ve been waking up alone. Paint splattered teardrops on my shirt – told you I’d let them go. And I’ll fight my corner. Maybe tonight I’ll call you…after my blood turns into alcohol. No, I just want to hold you.”

As he went into the chorus, Barry reached back to feel out his seat. Every word was an honesty Len wasn’t sure he could afford. A deep ache radiated out into his bones. In a life overflowing with endings, this one dragged him down just a bit too deep. The truth radiated inside his skin. 

 

_Give me love like never before_

_Cause lately I’ve been craving more_

_And it’s been a while, but I still feel the same way_

He’d never stopped. The Flash had turned his life upside down. Every scheme needed to be bigger. Locks, walls, guards - no security could keep him out. Mobs, banks, museums - he'd stolen from them all. Bored and tired, a blur of scarlet had saved him from himself. When he’d been done believing in anything but the lessons cut into his skin, Barry had come around. After Caitlin – after Cisco and Dante – after each betrayal, Barry just kept coming.

 

_Maybe I should let you go_

_You know I’ll fight my corner_

_And that tonight I’ll call you_

_After my blood is drowning in alcohol_

_No, I just wanna hold you_

If any holding had happened, it had been Barry pressing down on his shoulders or hips. Even as they fucked, Barry had stayed just far enough out of reach to push in achingly deep while Len could only trace and grip with hands that wanted to pull Barry against him. When Barry jumped away, he’d left so much behind, but he hadn’t taken any bit of Len with him. Nothing, perhaps, but Len’s heart. But he’d already had that.

When others had pointed to greed, Barry had seen the rush beneath. Even after Len had killed his longest lasting demon, Barry had sat across from him with a smile whispering about good. This was torture. Asking for what he knew he couldn’t have. Len fell into the ending repetition of the chorus wanting to run. There was nothing for him in Barry’s eyes. Nothing in them as they moved away as one of the girls approached him.

What could he possibly offer Barry? A partner scarred and nearly twenty years older? There were so many kinder, better people in the world. Maybe Barry wouldn’t marry Iris. Maybe Eobard Thawne had ground that possibility to less than 4%, but there were billions in this world.

He’d spoken to the Rogues. Most had turned their lives around, but some had found themselves in the new Iron Heights Meta Wing. He’d done what he could for them. They’d be fine without him. Lisa would be better not having to look over her shoulder for whoever her brother had pissed off last.

As Len’s eyes darted around the room, the crowd smiled and cheered as he whispered one last, “Give me love,” into the microphone.

Stepping off the stage, Len paled as the crowd slowed. Barry was still talking to the girl, and he slowed down just like everybody else. Apparently, the vibrating harmony only went one way. Made sense. Their daughter would be more intuitive than her father. She was Len’s after all.

However, Barry talking to somebody wasn’t nearly as nerve-wracking as nearly being blown to bits. Maybe it was worse. He’d knocked Mick out knowing it meant his death. This had been Len putting himself on the line. Sticking a toe in the water when he could see how far down he might be drowned. Trusting his gut – and his daughter’s instinctual response, Len took a step toward the door. Time snapped. Everyone moved, and Lisa dodged her way around tables to stop him.

“Len!” she called. “Where are you going?”

“This was a bad idea,” Len replied wishing the speed had lasted long enough for him to make a smooth escape.

Lisa pursed her lips. “I wanted us to do a duet.”

“Maybe next time I’m in town.”

“What? For my wedding?” Lisa retorted crossing her arms. “It’s not even been an hour.”

“Lisa…”

Before he could argue, the music started back up again. Both their eyes jumped to the stage. Barry stood with both hands gripping the mic like he’d collapse without its support.

“And I’ll use you as a warning sign that if you talk enough sense then you’ll lose your mind.” Barry’s voice hummed alone the deep notes, driving them into Len like arrows. “And I’ll use you as a focal point, so I don’t lose sight of what I want. And I’ve moved further than I thought I could, but I missed you more than I thought I would...”

If this was Barry’s idea of an answer, it was exactly what Len had been expecting. Each word drudged up another fear – another reason they didn’t make sense. The chorus only drove it home.

 

_And I found love where it wasn’t supposed to be_

_Right in front of me_

_Talk some sense to me_

Love wasn’t something a person wanted to be talked out of. Len had looked for every reason to ignore what was there, but each meeting had brought it back worse than before. As bittersweet and painful as their one night had been, it’d been the closest Len ever got to finding a reason. The look in Barry’s eyes – the feel of his teeth saying a rejection his tongue couldn’t. Despite that, he’d walked up to his death with more conviction than he had given any argument he’d made to himself against loving Barry.

Loving a thief was harder than loving a good man, but it certainly wasn’t harder than loving a man who played hero against meta humans. Barry’s self-sacrificing ways drove Len to the edge. Iris might have been able to put up with it in some timelines, but few beside her had lasted even half so well in the current one. More often than not, Barry walked away from a fight. His speed healing hid every bruise and broken bone, but they had still been there, and one day, Barry wouldn’t walk away. Those days had come before. They always came right between an idiotic plan and a self-sacrificing speech.

 

_And I’ll use you as a makeshift gauge_

_Of how much to give and how much to take_

Len sighed turning back to Lisa. “This was never gonna work out between us.”

“This? This what? You walking away?” Lisa snapped then stepped back taking a breath. “I wasn’t expecting any grand confessions, Lenny. You’re both too stubborn for that. You should stay. Get to know him. Even if you two don’t ever date, he’s your –”

“Don’t,” Len interrupted.

There were far too many unfamiliar people for that sort of talk. He had memorized the whole of the Santini family once, but they’d had time. No place was safe in Central City for a child of Leonard Snart. After a lifetime making enemies, his careful calculations had run down. Barry’s would only make the risks insurmountable.

Stepping back, Len whispered, “See ya, sis.”

The cool air rushed over him as Len slipped from the bar. Taking a deep breath, Len stared up at the sky. Behind him, the door swung open. Opening his mouth to call out his sister, Len turned and found Barry staring back. His brows were scrunched up. Green eyes wide as he met Len’s eyes.

“Please don’t go,” Barry whispered.

“Just getting some fresh air,” Len lied.

He didn’t have the energy to walk away. Not when Barry was looking at him like that. Like Leonard Snart wasn’t a name tied to pain and lies. The kid hadn’t even grabbed his coat. In a thin green sweater, he’d chased a criminal into the streets. Hopefully, their daughter would get Len’s survival instincts. She seemed to have them already.

“No, you’re not.” The speedster stepped closer. His hands twitched, but this time, he didn’t stop them as one hand slid along the hem of Len’s leather jacket holding him in place. “You’re leaving, and it’s my fault. I thought – when you looked at me – I just assumed you wanted – and I didn’t think; I sang, and I thought maybe that was our thing tonight. Our thing was bad temperature puns and tight pants, but I was okay with it being this.”

“I don’t think fitted jeans and whatever polymer you wear are comparable,” Len retorted, but he couldn’t find it in him to step back even as Barry inched closer. “What are you doing, kid?”

“Seducing you? I think it would help if you didn’t call me ‘kid,’” Barry suggested, leaning forward. When Len tilted his face away from the hero's lips, Barry’s hands dropped. “I completely misread this, didn’t I?”

“I’m nobody’s rebound.”

“What?” Barry’s eyes widened. “No, god no. I didn’t – Iris and I, we didn’t really…it was mutual. We talked, and with Eddie – everything that happened with Iris and him and me being the Flash – it didn’t work. Whatever Thawne did, it was too much. Maybe in another timeline, but we were kind of just pushed together by everyone – well, really just Thawne and Joe, and we still haven’t told Joe we broke us, but Iris said she would cause she doesn’t want me at the house for a bit even though she has an apartment, so…”

Len’s eyes narrowed as he watched Barry ramble. “What do you want?”

“You.”

“You had me,” Len retorted.

Barry frowned. His whole face squished like the idea was torture to think about. “I didn’t have you.”

“We talked about this kid. You weren't any better off than me.”

“I’m not sure that’s true,” Barry admitted softly. “Bivolo hit me, and I froze. I was fighting it off, but then you got hit. My brain just stopped. I thought that maybe, just this once, I could have what I wanted without screwing everything up.” 

Frowning, Len glanced down the street. “Bivolo’s power can’t be thrown off.”

“I’ve delayed it before,” Barry reminded him.

“Delayed – not thrown off. It was going to happen. I told you that I was okay with it. During and after,” Len said.

“Maybe you’re right –”

“I’m always right.”

Barry stepped closer. His hands fluttered but didn't completely stop any of their half made attempts to reach out to Len. “It didn’t feel like that. It felt like I’d just – like I’d _raped_ the man I was falling for because you couldn’t say no. Me not being able to say it either didn't make it easier. I got scared. Then you were gone, and Lisa said you wouldn’t be back for a while. I had to deal with Zoom, and then I screwed up the timeline even further. Iris seemed like the easy choice. We were together on Earth-2, and Gideon showed me the paper. I know that’s not the right timeline, but we were happy in more than one. I thought – if I fucked everything up – maybe she could still love me.”

“Bit not good.”

“Yeah,” Barry agreed. “And it fell apart.”

“I wanted it too,” Len admitted.

“Len…” the hero whispered, letting his hands slid over the smooth leather of the older man’s jacket.

“I didn’t lie. It was good…until you ran.”

Barry stepped, pressing his forehead against Len’s. “I’m sorry. I really messed up.”

If any time was the time to tell a man about his impending fatherhood, this felt like the time. The reality of it, however, was not something Len wanted to deal with on the streets. There were too many people. Too many uncountable factors.

“I hear you’ve gotten yourself an apartment,” Len whispered. His eyes dipped to Barry’s lips then back to the too close green eyes.

“It’s pretty nice actually.”

Humming softly, Len asked, “What do you want with me?”

Barry blinked and pulled back to more clearly look Len in the eyes. “Everything.”

“Well then, Mr. Allen. Take me home.”

Barry wrapped his arms around Len and ran. While being carried along when running with the Flash was disorienting, being aware of the speed and faking stillness was worse. When they’d reached Barry’s apartment, Len stepped back as his head rushed. Barry’s hands slid down to rest on his hips. Leaning forward, Barry pressed a soft kiss against Len’s lips. While plenty of skin has been licked and sucked, their lips hadn’t met under Bivolo’s sway. Wrapping his arms around Barry’s shoulders, Len pulled the hero closer before his mind caught up.

Pulling back, Len held back a moan when Barry chased after him. That was all he’d wanted. Barry focused on him – chasing him. If he hadn’t been showing, Len wasn’t sure he would have been able to stop. Flushed looked good on the Flash.

“We need to talk.”

“Okay,” Barry whispered.

“Talk with us more than a few inches from each other,” Len elaborated.

“Oh, yeah, of course,” Barry let his hands drop and stepped back. His eyes widened. “I didn’t – you said to take you home. Did you mean your home? I thought with the conversation – it made more sense that you meant here.”

“I did mean here.”

The tension which had coiled around Barry as he spoke slowly eased. “Oh, okay. Then what are we talking about?”

“I haven’t been with anyone since our night together,” Len admitted. He felt that needed to come before the second part. “I’m pregnant.”

Barry’s eyes widened, but it wasn’t in shock. His lips parted as his eyes slid to Len’s abdomen as if he could see through the layers of clothes and skin to the baby beneath. Now that was a power worth having.

“We’re having a baby?” Barry whispered. His hands slid back onto Len’s hips. “You’re pregnant with our baby.”

“Daughter.”

Swallowing, Barry glanced up to Len’s eyes then back down. “Did you know?”

“Not until our daughter saved my life by throwing me into the Speed Force,” Len replied.

“That’s how you survived the explosion. Sara hadn’t told – our mutual friend…” Barry blinked rapidly.

“I know about Oliver Queen.”

“Oh, thank god. I’m pretty sure I’ll be worse than Cisco is with Lisa at keeping secrets from you.” Barry’s hands drifted to dip up under Len’s jacket. “Can I?”

Stepping back, Len shushed Barry when he whimpered. Len unzipped his jacket and placed it on the back of Barry’s couch. When his hands moved to his black turtleneck, Barry launched forward to bunch up the material and expose the slight bump.

“Apparently, when I risked my life, it triggered a reaction which caused her meta abilities to activate. As we’re attached, I sped up too,” Len explained. “She also seems to be in tune with you.”

“The vibrations at the bar – and the coffee shop,” Barry said gazing at the bump with a look of wonder normally reserved for small children at Christmas. The awe slipped as Barry added, “Every time I’ve gone super speed since you’ve been back, you saw all that.”

“Bit curious about why you had such a hard time picking a seat,” Len admitted with a shrug.

“You saw that? God, that’s so embarrassing. I wanted to sit as close to you as I could, but I – I didn’t know if you wanted me that close,” Barry told him. Letting the material fall, Barry wrapped his arms around Len. “Please tell me that you’re not leaving because of me. If you go, there no way I’m not following.”

Sighing, Len considered his options. “There are some other problems we’d have to address if I stayed. Even if I give you enough to move forward with the case against the Santini, some of them will slip through the cracks. They’ll come after me – after you and after her eventually.”

“I have people. We have people. No one’s going to get near you or her,” Barry promised.

Though he hadn’t heard a promise like that before and believed it, Len found Barry’s words felt as solid as facts. He’d been wrong before though. Barry had been wrong before too.

“There’s also the question of you and me.”

“Everything?” Barry whispered pressing kisses along Len’s jaw.

“Not so simple. Even if I join Team Flash, there’d have to be a compromise.” A timer blinked to life in Len’s head. If he didn’t pull away from Barry in _86 seconds,_ this conversation would be put on hold for what would undoubtedly be fantastic sex. “No martyr strategies. Any time you face a big bad, I’m in on it – even if it's just to make sure you actually have a plan.”

“Makes sense,” Barry acknowledge while his hands moved to touch as much of Len as possible from their current position. “Any other big ultimatums before…” he trailed off, humming against Len's skin.

“If you can’t say sex, you don’t get sex.”

Barry’s hands slid back to grab Len’s ass. Squeezing, Barry moaned softly against the ex-thief’s neck. “I really want to fuck you.”

“She lives with me, and Mick’s her godfather,” Len retorted. _61 seconds._

“I’m moving in with you, and I get to pick her godmother,” Barry countered.

He backed up just enough to toss his own sweater and shirt on the couch behind Len. The timer in Len’s mind faltered then kept counting. Len had known a shirtless Barry was bound to show up turning the countdown, but the view still made his blood rush.

“Fine, but not anyone you’ve dated.”

As his hands returned to Len’s ass, Barry suggested, “What about Caitlin? She’d be a good role model. Way more sensible than me.”

“Snow’s good.” Len traced his hands over Barry’s chest. “There are other problems we need to discuss.”

“And we’ll find solutions everyone’s happy with.”

“She comes first. _Always_ ,” Len stressed.

Barry nodded. “Not arguing that.”

“No more idiotic heroics.”

“I think we covered that under no more ‘martyr strategies,’” Barry reminded Len.

 _33 seconds._ Len pulled Barry into a kiss. Their bodies molded together as if they were made to fit. Besides his clocks, only one thought pulled at Len’s mind tugging him away.

“No heroics until she’s eighteen – at least,” Len commanded.

“Hundred percent. No heroics until she’s at least eighteen,” Barry agreed, pulling Len into a quick kiss before asking, “Her, right? Not me.”

“I’m not cocky enough to think I’d be capable of that,” Len replied as the timer ran out.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, decision will be made in the next chapter because sex scenes are hard enough to write without avoiding anatomy descriptions. Tags will be updated ahead of time. It might be a bit. I'm a freelancer and wrote this in between jobs, so - hopefully next weekend?
> 
> Songs:  
> 1) One Thousand and One Nights - Team Starkid (w/ Carlos Valdes (aka Cisco)!!)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfu2hAEIy2U  
> 2) Cooler Than Me - Mike Posner (ColdFlash video below)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eixHWfFGTWE  
> 3) La La La - Shakira  
> 4) Glad You Came - Cover by Grant Gustin (Glee!)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRzJrT43sDg  
> 5) Give Me Love - Ed Sheeran (go w/ Acoustic version for preferred final chorus)  
> 6) I Found - Amber Run (Nice ColdFlash video below)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QkvlikoLD0


	9. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the changes in the tags and rating. Sex below.

Barry’s lips crashed into Len’s as if he could hear the clock run out. Where his hands had caressed in a shadow play of intent, the hero’s deft fingers made quick work of Len’s clothes. With a groan, the speedster pulled back to pulled the black turtleneck off of Len. Going to full body super speed to remove his jeans, Barry glanced up in confusion when Len laughed.

“You speeding up alongside me might take some getting used to,” Barry muttered kicking his boxers to the side. Naked, he pressed a hand to Len’s abdomen. “She’s keeping right up with Daddy.”

“Smart girl.”

Barry’s tongue darted out licking his lower lip. Glancing up at Len, he pulled the other man into a kiss. Len pulled Barry closer tangling a hand in the hero’s brown locks. This time, when Barry pulled away, a devilish smirk graced his kiss-swollen lips. Undoing the button on Len’s jeans, he unzipped them. Barry dropped to his knees pulling down Len’s pants and boxers. Stepping out of them, Len let Barry guide his legs apart.

Before their night together, it had been years since Len had risked trusting anyone with himself. He’d made himself the man he’d always wanted to see in the mirror. If that meant being alone, Len hadn’t cared. Love didn’t come easy for the children of Lewis Snart.

Len gasped as Barry ran his tongue along Len’s clit. He’d allowed himself to get distracted. The impossibility of his current position had destroyed his usually laser-precise focus.  Barry’s strong hands caressed Len’s legs; his green eyes watched Len’s face from beneath long dark eyelashes. When Barry’s tongue vibrated against him, Len threw his head back moaning. Then the vibrations stopped. Barry hummed, and his tongue buzzed at meta human speeds.

“Fucking tease,” Len panted.

His nerves were on fire. Barry slid his impossible vibrating tongue along Len's folds. Wet and slick with want, Len reached out behind him to claw at the couch. One hand still in Barry's hair, the thief tried to balance himself, but his legs trembled as Barry ran long fingers up his inner thighs to slid across the practically dripping, pulsing ache of Len's cunt. Every part of him felt too hot, and as his orgasm built, all the clocks in his mind vanished. Nothing existed but the two of them as his mind screamed: _Finally! Finally! Fucking finally!_

With how loud the word went through his head, it was amazing his lips screamed, “Barry!” instead.

Loose and leaning more heavily on the couch than before, Len let Barry hold him up. Barry’s embrace was warm, and though he had no intention of letting it become a habit, Len didn’t exactly complain as he was lifted and carried to the bedroom. Placed down like some story-book damsel, Len moaned as Barry's lips found his. The way Barry kissed – the taste of himself and knowing that this was likely to be a repeated event, Len shivered as it sent a pleasant ache through him.

Barry crawled onto the bed, and the two arranged themselves in the middle with Barry between Len’s sprawled legs. The hero’s hand slid down Len’s chest. Rubbing against one nipple, the hand continued down coming to rest on the bump, and Barry broke their marathon of kissing.

“Wait, Len?" 

Len groaned letting his head fall against the mattress. “Yeah?”

“Baby’s a girl…”

“Yeah, Speed Force said,” Len replied.

Barry frowned. “What about your testosterone?”

“Used to do subcutaneous pellets. Between you, Santini, and the Rogues, I put off my insertion. That night with Bivolo, I was only a week off from my normal replacement. Then Rip happened,” Len explained tapping his hip where the pellets were usually inserted. “Apparently, nobody in the future knew I wasn’t assigned male at birth.”

“So no replacements,” Barry concluded.

“They aren’t standard medical stock. Between Savage and a lack of monthlies, dealing with it sounded like the best option,” Len replied. The conversation had its points, and Len was more than fine to have it, but it was distracting how well Barry could multitask with how hard he was. Especially when Barry’s cock hung between them.

“Is this…” Barry ran a hand down Len’s side. “Are you okay with this?"

“Being pregnant?” Len asked, and when Barry nodded, the older man shrugged. “It doesn’t feel the same as before I transitioned. There’ll probably be bad days, but I want her.”

Barry rose up and pressed a chaste kiss to Len’s lips. “I’m there – bad days, good days – whatever you need.” 

“Whatever I need?” Len hooked one leg around Barry’s hips. “I _need_ you to fuck me.”

“Aye, aye, Captain Cold."

There’s something indescribable about the way they flow from banter to sex and back again. It was easy. Simple and good like nothing Len had ever known.  When Barry pressed a finger into him, Len cut off a curse. He wanted Barry inside of him immediately, but the speedster had pulled fast and dirty off the table. The gentleness as the hero added a second finger and toyed with Len’s nipples with his teeth set Len’s nerves alight. The stretch reminded him of the slight burn he'd felt their first time. Knowing Barry would soon be inside of him again, Len held back a whimper as he shifted his hips to take full advantage of each twist of Barry's long, vibrating fingers. Heat spread building tight and white hot inside him. It was only polite to return the favor.

Reaching down, Len brought a hand to Barry’s cock. Spreading the leaking precum lazily along the rest of the length, Len smirked. He moved his wrist in slow strokes. Above him, Barry trembled but took back the upper hand as he vibrated his fingers before adding a third.

“Thank god she only vibrates along when I go full body super speed,” Barry whispered against Len’s neck.

 “It’s a fascinating,” Len gritted out. “Now, how ‘bout you put this lovely dick inside me?”

 Slipping his fingers out, Barry took his cock in hand. He pressed the head against Len sliding in as he whispered, “As you wish.”

 "Shove it, farm boy,” Len retorted.

 Using the leg still hooked around Barry, Len angled his hips and pushed down as he pulled Barry forward. Barry bottomed out with a gasp. His fingers vibrated along Len’s sides. Though the hero tried to be gentle, there would be bruises there. The thought of feeling his jeans press against those bruises sent a jolt of lust through Len.

Barry groaned as if the idea spread between them. His green eyes fell onto his hands and then snapped up to meet Len’s blue. Burying his face in the crook of Len’s neck, Barry kissed, bit, and sucked every inch of skin his mouth could get too. His cock vibrated along with his hands sending waves through Len. The thief clung to Barry like a drowning man. Gasping for air, Len clawed at the hero’s shoulder blades as Barry pulled back half-way and slammed back in. The entire time, he continued to vibrate.

 Sweat gathered along Barry’s forehead as he struggled to keep his vibrations to his hands and dick. Bracing himself on his arms, Barry started to build a steady rhythm. Every thought flew from Len’s head. Somehow, they’d found each other. An impossibility to all the logic now banished from Len’s mind by Barry’s cock, but they’d done it.

 When Barry’s hand moved to toy with Len’s clit in time with the trusting rhythm, Len moaned as he drew nearer to his second orgasm. When it came, his second punched the breath out of his lungs, but Barry wasn’t done. Barry kept moving, chasing his own, and soon pushing Len towards his third.

 “Wanted you so much,” Barry moaned. His hips steadily losing their rhythm as his orgasm neared. “You feel so good. Never giving this up. Never letting you go. I wanted you for so long. Never thought – fuck, fuck!”

Barry’s pupils were blown wide. The black nearly obscured the green, and he’d finally earned the sex hair his costume gave him. Smashing his lips against Len’s, Barry came pushing as deep into Len as he could and sent Len off on his third.

 When Barry moved to pull back, Len wrapped a hand around his head and held him in place. “You’re still hard; I know you take two or three times to need a refractory period...you could keep going, or…” Len smirked. “I could suck you.”

Barry's breath hitched. “Fuck yes,” he groaned, and his hips twitched. Pressing his forehead to Len’s, he groaned, “Your voice got sexier. All raspy and low - fuck, there’s no way I’m lasting long.”

“You don’t have to.”

Barry pulled out. His hand held his cock as if to keep himself from coming as they switched positions. Len settled between Barry’s legs. Lowering his mouth to the tip of Barry’s dick, Len licked along the underside. The speedster’s fingers knotted into the blankets. His eyes clenched shut. When his green eyes flicked back open. Len sunk down. Len did so slowly. It had been some time since he’d done this for anyone, and though his gag reflex had never been particularly sensitive, he didn’t want to risk setting off a bout of nausea.

“Shit, Len,” Barry whispered his name like a prayer. “I’m not gonna – _fuck_ – I’m not gonna last." 

Hollowing his cheeks, Len sucked. He had no intention of letting the speedster last. This was just the intermission. Something to keep his mouth busy while he categorized every ache in his body from well-used one between his legs to the tingle of bruises forming at his hips. Barry's teeth had made marks along his collar bones. Most shirts would hide them, but there was one sore spot higher up on his neck just above where his turtlenecks would fall. Though his mouth was too busy to smirk, his mind preened. Who knew Barry Allen had a possessive streak? Because there was no way the speedster hadn't realized how difficult that last one would be to hide. 

As his mind settled, Len refocused his attention to the weight of Barry in his mouth. The feel of him against his tongue. Possessive might not have been a trait most would ascribe to Barry Allen, but it sure as hell was a descriptor of Leonard Snart. Len wanted to brand himself into Barry's memory. This night - the feel of Len's body around him - the coolness of his touch, the burn of his mouth - would not be walked away from again.

Barely able to get out a warning, Barry came. He was the fastest man alive after all though Len would keep that thought to himself. Swallowing, Len pulled back and licked his lips. Barry groaned, his face half-hidden in his elbow, but the eye that Len could see was trained on the path Len’s tongue traced along his lips.

“Still hard, hm?” Len hummed. “I think I can cool your jets.”

Crawling to straddle Barry, Len pressed a kiss to the younger man’s lips. Barry’s hands moved to Len’s hips which seemed to rapidly be turning into their natural position. Len pulled back. A smirk played at his lips as Barry blinked slowly. Reaching behind him, Len lined up Barry’s cock between the swollen lips of his entrance. Right as his actions registered, Len sunk down.

He took Barry in inch by inch until their hips were pressed up against each other. Grinding down, Len braced himself on Barry’s chest as he rode the speedster. Each lift was slow, and each time he sunk back down was even slower. Success showed in Barry’s vibrating hands. The same hands slid down to grab Len’s ass.

“I hear patience is a virtue,” Len drawled.

Barry groaned as Len lifted almost completely off him and slammed back down sending waves through them both. "Pretty sure you started it. I'd planned on - _fuck, please, just - god, Len..._ I wanted to take you apart."

Arching his back, Len ground down. "This isn't a one-off - or a three-off as the case may be."

"Four-off? My mouth, together, your mouth, together," Barry counted. His hips twitched, and Len lifted completely off of him. Moving his hands from Len's ass back to his hips, Barry keened. "Len, don't fucking tease _me!"_ Barry moaned as Len sunk back down. "Next time, gonna take you apart. Ruin you for everybody else."

"Promises, promises."

Electricity sparked in Barry's eyes. Barry trust his hips up and used his grip to bounce Len up and down on his cock. It wasn’t super speed, but they were edging against it, and the vibrations hummed through both of them. Soon, they both tumbled over the edge again.

Len blinked as his body vibrated. Before he could search out where Barry had gone, the Flash was back. “Sorry, I forgot you speed up with me,” Barry said holding up a wet cloth as explanation. He cleaned the two of them then tossed the cloth into a nearby hamper and flicked off the light. “Gift from Caitlin.”

“I might have believed you’d buy a laundry bin,” Len replied.

Barry curled around Len drawing the blankets over mouth of them. “No you wouldn’t.”

The weight of Barry’s arm and the press of his hand against Len’s chest swept the sarcasm right out of him. Though he enjoyed their repartee, the moments of honesty were just as beautiful. In the dark of Barry’s apartment, the world was simple. The three of them rested safe and warm. There were other questions to answer. Other problems they’d have to face. Not everyone would be keen on Barry Allen and Leonard Snart. At least they had Lisa and Cisco.

As the thought floated by, Len shifted. “You realize they were trying to get us together.”

“Why do you think I wanted them to pick my songs?” Barry retorted.

“You’re a better actor than I thought, Barry. You managed to sound surprised back at the bar,” Len said sliding his hand on top of Barry’s.

“I was surprised. I thought Cisco would pick something better. Also thought they’d be subtler about it,” Barry explained. Yawning, the hero held the legend tight against him. “I am glad you came.”

“Well, I am cooler than you.”

Pressing a kiss to Len’s shoulder, Barry whispered, “I don’t want to let you go. Not tomorrow morning, not in a month or a year or a decade or ever. I want you to be mine forever, Leonard Snart. I know you think it’s quick – but that’s just us, isn’t it? You and me – quick and cool. Maybe it’s stupid or old-fashioned, but I’m gonna woo you.”

“Woo?” Len scrunched up his nose at the word.

“Yeah, woo you. You deserve to be wooed.” Barry sighed nuzzling into Len’s neck. “I’ve been falling for you since the train, and every pun and quip just pushed me further. I’m in love with you, Len.” When Len stiffened in his hold, Barry continued, “You don’t have to say it back. Not unless you want to, but I think we both know that whatever I have to give is yours.”

Twisting in Barry’s embrace, Len kissed the hero softly. “I love you, Barry. It’s fucking terrifying, and I’m still half-sure this is all in my head – just me before the explosion...”

“I’d come for you,” Barry whispered. “Whenever, wherever – I would find a way to run fast enough to bring you back.”

“In a way,” Len said as he slid Barry’s hand down to rest above the baby. “You did.”

The two curled together and fell asleep. Their last thoughts before slumber were of each other, but their penultimate was a pulse of strained gratitude for what Bivolo had done.


	10. Chapter 9

Morning came. Splinters of light drifted over bare skin, and Len woke with tension drawing his mind away from the warmth wrapped against his side and the ache between his legs back to the Oculus. His blue eyes slid to the brown at the corner of his vision. Barry’s hair stuck out in all directions. The younger man’s face was burrowed into the side of Len’s neck. With lips brushing his bruised skin with every silent mumbling, Len pushed against stifling heat of his uncertainty.

At six in the morning, there was no more sleep to be found. It was more than he’d slept in days. Blinking, Len shifted. When he inched away, Barry followed clinging all the harder like an octopus. Releasing a deep sigh, Len relented. He’d wanted this. Though it was strange and overwhelming, he’d wanted someone to wake up beside. Heat radiated from the speedster. Chasing the cold with his one free arm, Len stretched the tips of his fingers to run along the edge of Barry’s bed. The heat and speed of Barry’s tongue flashed through Len’s mind as he realized his jeans were back in the main room.

Barry’s pants were on the other side of the room. With both their phones out of reach, Len considered his options. Barry was a romantic. Romantic would be staying in bed despite being bored. Romantic might also mean making after sex breakfast. However, they were in Barry’s apartment. Fed up with the line of thought, Len carefully stole away from Barry’s embrace. A rush of pride shot through him when he stood at the end of the bed watching as Barry curled tighter around a pillow.

Freed and no longer numbingly warm, Len frowned as the itch of dried cum crawled to the forefront of his mind. They’re cursory attempt at pre-sleep cleaning was a fine first time fix, but it was not one Len planned on consistently revisiting. Sauntering into the bathroom, Len grabbed an unused towel from a shelf next to the toilet. He set it beside the shower and turned on the water.

When Len stepped beneath the warm spray, whatever fog remained drained away. Each bite along his collar and neck set a flush through his body. The bruises on his hips shot electricity through him every time his hands passed even gently over them. If his shower was a few minutes longer than normal to enjoy, no one who knew was around to say.

Drying off, Len wrapped the towel around his waist. His options were yesterday’s clothes and half-naked. While Barry was of a similar height, the other man was leaner. Len’s upper body was more muscular, and his legs were more well-defined despite the hero’s constant running. While Barry’s pants were generally fitted enough to be completely out, the speedster had some sweaters that could work.

Len collected his clothing from around the apartment. Barry didn’t have a washer and dryer, so there was no way they’d be moving into the speedster’s apartment if they decided to cohabitate. Pulling on his jeans commando, Len folded the rest. Hanging the towel on the back of the door, Len slipped back into the bedroom to go through Barry’s drawers. The opportunity to explore was too good to ignore.

Though there were some STAR Lab sweaters which might have worked, Len elected on wearing a gray cotton sweater from J Crew. A good numbers of items in the Flash’s wardrobe were from that store. Making a mental note, Len continued to quest in the kitchen. There was enough food throughout the cabinets and fridge to feed a frat house; however, besides a stock of specialty calorie rich bars, there wasn’t much that set it apart from the average twenty-something male. Maybe less leftovers.

 _At Barry’s._ Len texted to Mick and Lisa. He then set his phone screen down on the counter as he prepped the coffee machine. Omelets were easy, and there were four dozen eggs in the over-sized behemoth fridge that seemed to have been wedged tightly into place. When everything was cooking away on the stove, Len glanced back towards the bedroom where Barry remained curled beneath the covers. If the hero’s chest hadn’t been visibly rising, Len might have been concerned. Len’s phone vibrated bouncing against the counter.

“Bit busy, Lise,” Len whispered as he flipped the first batch of bacon.

“Why are you whispering?” Lisa replied. “Wait – is Barry seriously still sleeping?”

“Is that unusual?”

“Well, no, but you’d think he’d be a little more attentive with a guest,” she said. He could hear Cisco ranting about Barry’s metabolism and general lateness resulting from ignoring alarms.

“Ask Cisco what Barry likes in his omelets,” Len demanded.

“Cisco! Len’s making Barry breakfast!” Lisa called to her boyfriend.

“See – it totally worked. Atmosphere – tension – BAM! Call me Cupid!” Cisco’s voice crackled over the connection.

Len rolled his eyes. “Sure, Eros. Now how about giving me a rundown on Barry’s omelet preferences?”

A muffled conversation left the phone in Cisco’s hands. The scientist’s grin seemed to shoot through the phone. “Mozzarella, sausage, olives, and peppers – he likes the bacon crispy and on the side.”

“Coffee?”

“Like you stirred in the witch’s house from Hansel and Gretel.”

Scrunching up his nose, Len sighed. “And espresso?”

“Don’t! For my sanity and yours – give him sugar not espresso!” Cisco pleaded. “He got the Flash drink once – coffee with a shot of espresso – thank fuck he didn’t get to drink the whole thing. He ended up going off without thinking. It was the time Lewis put a bomb in – ”

“I get it,” Len interrupted harshly. Realizing his volume, Len leaned back to check on Barry. Still asleep.

“Hard time for everybody,” Cisco said. “So…which song was it?”

“What?” Len asked as he pulled down two plates.

“When you decided to sing, it was a delayed affect from the song I picked, right? Posner was way more up your alley than that pretty boy band jingle Lisa went with,” Cisco explained.

“Hers was more direct.”

Cisco snorted. “But it was so open to interpretation! Mine was on theme!”

“To be fair, you were at a disadvantage going first.” Setting the silverware besides the plates, Len set out a mug beside the coffee pot while mentally inventorying a better brewer as a gift option.

Cursing, Cisco grumbled, “She sweet talked me into going first.”

“Made it sound like she was being gracious.”

“One day I won’t fall for it,” Cisco swore.

Len chuckled. “Goodbye, Cisco.”

“I’m serious!”

Smirking at his phone, Len hung up. He’d gotten what he’d needed, and if he’d also found some revenge for his sister’s meddling, he was just good at multitasking. She’d make him thank her later.

Vibrations ran through Len. Rather than turn, he placed the plate of bacon on the table beside a plate of diagonally cut toast. Barry’s plate had two large omelets. Their drinks were still on the counter when Barry’s arms wrapped around his waist. Lips pressed against Len’s neck.

“This looks good on you,” Barry murmured running his hand over the sweater on Len’s chest. “We should make a new rule about you only wearing my clothes.”

Turning around to face Barry, Len wrapped his arms around the other pressing their lips together in a quick kiss. “I’m already stretching this one out.”

Barry smiled. “No clothing works too.”

When Len smirked, Barry laughed, pulling him into a kiss. It would be easy to let go. To spend the day – the week – the next four months in the sweet simplicity of this hushed new possibility between them. There was too much at stake. When their daughter came, Len wanted whatever was between them to be real whether that meant they were only friends or more.

“Breakfast,” Len whispered breaking the kiss. “Don’t want it getting cold.”

“I don’t mind,” Barry replied, but with a quick kiss, he stepped back and moved to pull out a chair for Len. Handing Len his orange juice, Barry grabbed his coffee and a handful of sugars. “I’m guessing you have more than a day of domesticity planned.”

“We need to figure out where we stand. Even if it were just the two of us involved, our relationship is…complicated,” Len informed Barry.

“Yeah, I mean, of course. I said I’d woo you, but you’re the one making me breakfast,” Barry retorted practically moaning as he ate a slice of bacon. “This is fantastic!”

“How much does Detective West know about my time traveling?”

Barry’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“How’s he going to react to our relationship? My pregnancy?” Len continued. “I’ve got the funds to stay home with her for the first few years, but what about preschool? Do you want to move into my house? If yes, which one? Public school or private? Are you religious? Will you want her to be baptized? I’m not big into organized religion.”

“Whoa, slow down, Len!” Barry reached out laying his hand over Len’s. “So there’s a lot we need to talk about. We can’t do everything in a day or a weekend, but I do want to move in with you eventually.”

“But not immediately.”

“I’d love to move in immediately. I hate living alone. All my friends were so excited when they moved out, but I didn’t leave because I hated the idea of coming back at the end of the day to an empty house. I want everything with you. I want to be involved in my daughter’s life, but I’ve jumped too fast in the past, and I don’t want to scare you off,” Barry confessed. His green eyes held Len’s blue, and for a moment, Len was afraid the love there would swallow him whole.

Len glanced down at his plate. “I’ve lived alone. Lisa and Mick have stayed with me off and on. Mick’s using a room at my main house since we got back.” His eyes flicked up to Barry who nodded for him to continue. “I like space, but I don’t like an empty home any more than you.”

“How many rooms does your house have?” Barry asked.

“My main has three.”

“So if I moved in, there’s room for you to have your space if you want. Room for all four of us.” When Len’s brows furrowed, Barry continued, “I would never expect you to kick Mick out. He’s our baby’s godfather, isn’t he?”

A smile tugged at the corners of Len’s lips. Taking a deep breath, he pressed on, “And West?”

“He doesn’t know about Rip or any of it. If you’re good with it, I’ll talk to him during our next shift together on Monday. He does; – gosh, this is a little embarrassing – he knew I had feelings for you before I did.” Barry as Len studied him.

When Barry moved to pull his hand back, Len caught it and intertwined their fingers. “I know West is important to you. I don’t want this to be harder than it has to be for either of us.”

“Joe is important to me,” Barry said. “But it’s my life. I love you, and every time I thought maybe we could be something, Joe was there tearing it apart. I don’t want you to think his approval or disapproval will change this.”

Though Len nodded, he wasn’t convinced. West had actively pushed Iris and Barry together. Even if the man finally accepted his children couldn’t see each other that way, it didn’t mean the detective would want his adopted son to be with a criminal, and if West didn’t want Barry with Len, there was no way he’d be happy about his first grandchild’s other parent was Leonard Snart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duh!!


	11. Chapter 10

“He’s tricking you, Barry!” Detective West insisted. His voice echoed off the walls of the track in STAR Labs. 

Barry flinched at the accusation. “How? Caitlin scanned him – even if I hadn’t felt my daughter vibrating in tune, I have physical proof that he’s pregnant. Sara, Jax, Dr. Stein, Rip Hunter, Ray – every one of them has talked about how Len was hero. How he’s saved them again and again!” 

West scoffed. He stepped forward as if drawing in conspiratorially. “The child vibrating doesn’t prove it’s yours. You’re not the only speedster.”

“Rip and Dr. Stein confirmed she’s mine.” 

“He’s not a good person, Barry. How do we know this isn’t some long con?” 

When Barry’s eyes narrowed, his fists vibrated. “A long con?” 

“It was Snart’s fault Bivolo was on the streets to begin with!” West said. “How do you know that whole situation wasn’t a set up? Maybe Snart wanted to get you into a vulnerable position.” 

“If he wanted to do that, he could have blackmailed me. I _forced_ myself on him. I got hit, and I froze, and I watched him get hit. Even if he faked that, I was the one who grabbed him. I was the one who carried him to the nearest safe house where I was the one who pushed him down on the bed and fucked him repeatedly,” Barry explained. His voice shook, but he stared West in the eyes as if to push each word into his foster father’s mind. “Len’s smart. He’s probably got cameras all over his safe houses, but he didn’t blackmail me. He let Mick burn the place down. Are you even listening to me, Joe? Len let his friend – a pyromaniac who he carefully and constantly restrains from large fires – he let that friend burn down one of his safe houses because of what we’d done.” 

“And he probably collected insurance and got another one within a week,” West retorted. 

“So? That doesn’t even matter! He’s pregnant, and it’s not something he planned or I planned, and he’s probably freaked out just as much if not more than I am because his body’s not his anymore, but he’s keeping her, and he told me. He had plans to get the hell out and no reason to tell me anything, but he told me, and you might blow that off because it’s the right thing to do, but it wasn’t easy, okay! I’ve fucked up repeatedly and have a target on my back that can be seen from outer space, but – instead of running and keeping our daughter safe from Dr. Alchemy and Savitar and who knows who else is coming…” Barry shook his head. “He’s staying, Joe. When every bone in his body is probably telling him to run, he trusts me. Trusts me not to lie to him. Not to fuck this up.” 

West crossed his arms. “Say I believe you – that I believe him. You really think he’s going to be a good father? He’s a thief and a liar. He’s killed people. His own father included!” 

“Lewis Snart was physically and mentally abusive. You’ve seen some of Lisa’s scars. Len’s got ten times as many,” Barry replied. “And don’t tell me that you wouldn’t do the same if someone put a bomb in Iris’s neck or Wally’s or mine.”

“The bomb was out.”

Barry frowned. “And next bomb? With Lewis alive, there was always another bomb or bullet or knife coming.” 

“Is that how we’re doing things now?” West asked. 

Running a hand over his face, Barry sighed. “We isolated people in the Pipeline. That’s torture, so I think accepting that Len’s made bad choices before and is trying to be a better person sounds just like something we’ve always done.” 

“What happens when Snart gets bored of playing house?” The detective glanced down the hall, but nobody came. “What happens if Snart decides the two of you aren’t working out? He was gonna slip away without telling you. You really think you knowing is going to stop him if he decides to take your daughter and disappear?”

Barry hesitated. It was a split second, and West didn’t seem to notice the delay, but the second count was just half a count too much when the speedster replied, “Neither of us are running from this. I trust him.”

______________________________________________________________________________ 

Len paused the video. Rewinding, he replayed Barry’s hesitation again. Behind him, Mick stirred the marinara sauce. The lasagna was already in the oven, and garlic bread was currently being prepared on the counter. However, the pyromaniac glanced over at his friend. 

“It’s not going to change,” Mick warned. 

“He doesn’t trust me.” 

Shrugging, Mick put the bread into the bottom oven of the double setup. “Do you blame him?” 

“No.” 

“West doesn’t seem to realize the kid’s not sure,” Mick pointed out. 

Len tilted his head watching the clip over. “He doesn’t need to. West’s determined. He’ll bring it back up every chance he gets. If Barry hears it enough…” 

“He’ll doubt you too?” Mick snorted. “And you’re supposed to be the smart one.” 

“Barry trusts the detective. West is his foster father after all,” Len reminded his partner.

Mick rolled his eyes as he sat down across from Len. “Of course, how could I forget? The hero always picks West over you. Like that time with the Pipeline…or the time with Lewis…” 

“True.” Len closed his laptop and pushed it away. 

“You trust the kid?” 

Leaning back in his chair, Len raised a brow. Mick returned the expression recognizing it for the avoidance tactic it was. Len’s mind was fast, but it wasn’t Flash fast. He couldn’t use a split second to think the same way Barry could. Instinctually, Len wanted to say yes. Barry could be trusted to be heroic. The younger man would rush in to save anyone and everyone. Neither Mick nor West had been asking about that. Could he trust Barry with his heart? With their daughter? Could Barry trust him? 

Barry would protect their daughter. He’d be a good father, but he was the sort of father that could disappear. However, people flocked to Barry, and even if he died, there would be plenty of people who would do their best in his place. Len had Mick and Lisa. Maybe when things had cooled, he’d still have Sara and the Waverider crew too.   

Love remained uncertain. Barry was a romantic. While large gestures were his play, he didn’t seem to have a talent for the everyday small minutia. He’d forgotten the importance of small details when he decided he had to change time – repeatedly. What were the chances of Barry going back and accidentally causing their daughter to have not been conceived? 

“It’s too new to expect him to put us first,” Len concluded though Mick knew him well enough to translate. 

“Not really.” 

Len frowned at his closed computer. “Not for her maybe but for me.” 

“Kid’s been hung up on you for a long time,” Mick replied. His gaze was settled on Len in an unblinking way. The way he got when he’d found a sticking point or was about to burn something sizable down. “Can’t fault him for hesitating when you don’t trust him.” 

“I trust him to be him – which just happens to be self-sacrificing, dedicated to his heroism, and highly emotional.” Len pressed a hand against the bump. 

“Meaning the kid’s bound to die having been absent most of the time and a mess about it,” Mick translated.

“And I trust that he loves me.” 

“Well, at least you’ve got that,” Mick grumbled leaning his chair back to crack open the fridge and grab a beer. Popping the top, Mick took long drink before setting the bottle on the table. “Funny, considering you only found out about her cause you nearly heroically self-sacrificed yourself.” 

“You matter to me.”

Mick smirked. “Love you too.”

Len rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. “I trust you.”

“And maybe, in one of the other Earths, you and I fit.” Mick sipped his beer. “Considering you’d be dead in that universe, I’d prefer here.” 

Silence fell over the two. It would only be broken when Lisa and Cisco arrived. If Len could feel the weight of Mick’s stare when Barry arrived, he refused to acknowledge there was anything worth watching. Barry had made a choice to trust Len. To trust they had a future. There was nothing more than nerves and self-doubt clouding Len’s mind. This wasn’t like Alexa or Savage and the Time Masters. Barry wasn’t a trap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question for you grammar fiends - how does 'bleach blond' make you feel?


	12. Chapter 11

The next month was an awkward dance. One apartment and one townhouse combined to a home closer to the West household than Len wanted and further than Barry would have preferred. It was the furthest from urban that Len had ever lived. Even the Waverider had been more familiar metal and close quarters. Alone in the house, Len studied the corners. He'd spent hours surveying every inch before agreeing to the purchase. Still, the amalgamation of their furniture and styles left a cold pool in Len's chest. They didn't exactly clash. Barry's furniture had been basics in neutrals - whatever he could get for cheap, so majority hadn't been hard to talk him out of keeping. A few autographed posters were in the living room, but everything else was small enough that only a keen eye would spot them - so Len noticed each glaring bit. 

Compromise hadn't ever been his strong suit. He'd buckled under - conformed when forced. This wasn't supposed to be the same. This was a compromise for love. Relationships required compromise. When he had no choice, he'd done it with the Rogues. Hell, with Lisa and Mick, Len gave in every once and a while, but it was always a bone thrown - a calculated cost/benefit analysis. Whenever he tried to consider moving in with Barry in the same way, a wave of nauseous passed over him. It didn't help that Lisa pointed his deficiencies out like a fun button she'd never noticed before. A complete lie on her part. The two Snart siblings loved each other, and Len would shoot himself over her any day, but thinking about it as a numbers game had made that weakness justifiable. 

There was nothing justifiable about the Flash. He was a hero. A hero fickle enough to run into the past and change everything. A hero who couldn't admit to his best friend that Dante had died because of Flashpoint. A hero who hadn't realized Caitlin Snow needed help until Mick had slammed on their door late at night saying she'd gone Frost. Though they'd managed to get her back, what she had said was true. Barry didn't think. He'd done everything in his power for his own happy ending, and it still blew up. Maybe that's what hurt the most. Everyone pointed to Iris as Barry's happy ending. 

"I didn't mean it," Caitlin had said sitting beside Mick long after all her supposed friends had left to chase Dr. Alchemy and his acolytes. "I knew you had tapped the system. I wanted to hurt everyone - you included."

"Sadistic streak or not - it's still true," Len had retorted. When Mick frowned, he'd held up a hand. "Not making this about me. Truth doesn't hurt me."

In a voice so small she had seemed as fragile as glass, Caitlin had whispered, "But it does."

Letting a hand fall to his bump, Len pulled himself from the memory. The list of potential enemies kept growing, and Captain Cold was out of the game. Even after she was born, his girl needed him. A game everyone around him was playing. Boredom itched along his mind. If he wasn't careful, it would get in. There was no telling what harm he'd do then. Bored led to planning. Planning meant heists. Heists meant being on the wrong side of the law - the wrong side of Barry. One way or another, that sort of bored led to damage. While his daughter grew inside him, Len's body wasn't his own. And wasn't that just the rub?

Len headed back to the nursery. They'd bought a four bedroom. Barry had joked about a study, but he'd been obvious. His superpower should have been transparency. Barry wanted more. He'd always looked at Cisco with envy for having Dante even when the two weren't on speaking terms. When Wally came back around, he'd been jealous for multiple reasons. Some Len had learned from Barry himself. Others, well - others Lisa had told him. Like how Barry got weird about time with Joe - time with Iris. Lisa had used it to point out how Barry hadn't still considered Iris his sister. A bit sick, if you asked Len, but he got the point. If he'd had a sibling, Barry wouldn't have been alone. Iris had been a crush before being a sister, and their relationship was so twisted and fucked up that Len didn't want to poke it with a ten foot pole. 

While the third bedroom contained nothing but potentially uncomfortable questions about their future, the second bedroom had been painted a soft gray. Lisa had begged for any pastel, but Len wasn't having it. Barry had eventually agreed when he realized it would be literary themed. One corner had a lamp post for Narnia. The other was based off Harry Potter. Books had been safe - a whetstone for the mind when his body had ached like a prison. Standing in the doorway to the nursery, Len sighed. They'd ordered the crib and a matching rocking chair. Bits and pieces were in including a changing table. Everything soft neutrals because they had argued endlessly about Houses. Eventually, they'd agreed on Ravenclaw. Dark blues and bronze with the soft gray undertones and snow whites. If the gray verged on a Slytherin silver, Barry didn't complain. He'd already snuck in a stuffed badger and a hand-sewn Niffler. Barry was surprisingly good at sewing. 

All in all, this was the least compromised room in the house. For all his ambition, Len had always admired Ravenclaw most. He'd used Barry's repeated assertions of his obvious Slytherin nature to secure his win. If that made him all the more Slytherin, Barry could stuff it. 

_10,719,570 seconds_

Nothing in the nursery was out of place. All the walls were painted. Every item that had arrived had been neatly stored or set up. The entire house was clean. Dinner laid prepped in the fridge, and it wasn't even noon. If the curve of his abdomen had felt disorienting enough, his semi-self-imposed house arrest made the boredom all the more gnawing. 

Retracing his steps, Len descended to the first floor then to the basement where his own office was. Not that it qualified at the moment. Language books lined one case, but a month in - and he'd become proficient enough in them to be bored again. Barry had started a few, and when they practiced together, it was interesting enough, but the hero was at work. Several books on mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering were on another case. While he wasn't Cisco, Len had a certain flare for the cold.

The thief locked the door and went through the room taking out the components. He couldn't keep it together. Barry wasn't home for long stretches alone, but it was a risk even building something like Cisco's ice gun in their house. The metal pieces he'd been working on for the last two days slid together. While a gun had a certain flare, Len had gone for something a little less obviously sinister. When assembled, his experiment looked like a blue light lantern. If it could also emit a ten foot frost temperature radius with an eye for the user, it was a complete accident. Pulling on his parka, Len double checked everything vulnerable was at the far end of the room. When he was sure, Len sat in the safe zone and activated the lantern.

Outside the field, ice crystals solidified. A fog spread through the room but from the camera in the far corner, it was contained to the desired radius. Lowering the temperature, Len watched his phone. The thermometers placed throughout the room dropped. Within the safe zone, Len remained comfortable though he raised his hood and adjusted the shield he'd made on the off chance the machine blew. When he hit 40 below, Len turned off the lantern. The temperature didn't immediately rise, but steadily increased. There was a fine layer of ice on all surfaces. While the bookcases were out of range, the two side tables set up for observation had icicles. The floor was prepped for drainage - in case of flooding of course, so when they melted, they evidence would only be the damage to the tables which had gone under direct fire from his ice gun before.

Len carefully dissembled the lantern. Hiding the pieces, he climbed the stairs. There was no ceiling damage in the basement or floor damage upstairs. Having spent less than two hours on the lantern, Len opened his laptop at the kitchen table. He pulled up the cams in Barry's lab. Barry wasn't there, but Julian Albert was. A good thing - really - since it gave Len time to observe the blond Englishman. Albert had a 87% chance of being Alchemy after all. Watching the feed, Len frowned. Make that 100%.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recently saw Fantastic Beasts - want a Niffler and to protect Credence.


	13. Chapter 12

 The phone rang for a sixth time then went to voicemail for the second time. Glaring at the screen, Len did his best to retrace Albert’s path from the precinct. The man had looked entranced when he’d opened that drawer. His eyes had glazed over, and Albert’s mouth went slack. Not enough to be widely noticeable, but enough that Len was concerned. A meta with selfish intents was one thing; a mentally controlled meta was another. Their agreement had been for Len to be involved. He hadn’t been jumping for joy at being Team Flash, but the last month had been far too many late calls. Considering Barry almost died half the time, late calls weren’t acceptable.

With one last glare at the monitor, Len grabbed his parka and the Cold Gun. If Barry wasn’t answering, chances were another meta had surfaced. While Team Flash kept their eyes on that, well…there were a few Rogues who were growing restless anyways. Might as well ensure those still in the game had an outlet. A chill settled over Len as he dialed. The phone rang once before Mick picked it up.

“We’ve got a job.”

* * *

“This is a bad idea.” Mick grumbled. 

“We need back-up, and Lisa's out,” Len retorted adjusting his parka.

Rolling his eyes, Mick glared at the electronics store. “If you don’t mess with it, they won’t be able to tell.”

“I’m not worried about them telling.”

“Really?” Mick scoffed. “Santini aren’t who I’d want knowing.”

Len sighed tilting his head and narrowing his eyes at the pyromaniac. “Hartley knows how to keep his mouth shut.”

“Now you’re just being stupid.”

Len didn’t bother replying. Instead, he marched into the store. An over-sized gorilla of a man opened his mouth to argue as Len slipped behind the counter, but the heel of Len’s hand to his nose and then the idiot’s head through the glass counter stopped any comments the Santini soldier might have made. Clucking his tongue, Mick followed. The sound served only to signal between the two that the man was still alive albeit unconscious.

Bowed over wires and metal, Hartley didn’t even bother looking up. “Unless you’re here to ask me to coffee, I’m done with the Rogues.”

“Funny – when I got back, Lisa told me you’d gone straight,” Len drawled surveying the gadgets along the walls. “Don’t think Team Flash would be happy to know you’re moonlighting in explosives…” Picking up an ornate wooden box, Len added, “…disguised as music boxes.”

“What I do in my spare time is my business. Anyways, that’s just a music box. If its pitch happens to disrupt frequencies and cause spontaneous detonation of any bombs or microwaves in the area, well…there’s only so much I can do,” Hartley retorted.

The former Pied Piper glanced up. His blue eyes flicked over the two, and his tongue darted out to lick his lip as they traced up Len’s legs. A small smile curled the younger man’s lips. When his eyes jumped to meet Len’s, the genius shifted to his full height and stretched in a faux-casual manner.

“Looking good, Len,” Hartley leered.

Len frowned. “Albert is Alchemy. You in?”

With a put out sigh, Hartley fell back into a chair. “And here I was hoping you were just intimidating me for old time’s sake.”

“Not your type,” Captain Cold informed him.

The phrase had been a common occurrence in the prime of the Rogues, but it felt off to say it again now when proof of his claim was just a zipper away. Hartley had never pressed to an answer. He’d taken the response as permission to flirt up until the phrase came about. It was a system that had worked well. Whenever Len had gotten bored with Hartley’s latest line of seduction, he’d reiterate it, and Hartley would smirk before turning back to whatever job they were on.

This time, however, Hartley’s eyes twinkled as he ducked his chin. “You keep saying that. Have you seen you? God, if I had your body I’d spend my days with a mirror and a bottle of lube.” A cheeky grin spread across the younger man’s face. Mick coughed to cover a snicker. “You’re mostly out of the business. I’m mostly out of the business. You aren’t my boss anymore. What say you and I get a drink and talk about this ‘not your type’ nonsense?”

“Like cock?” Len asked, but before Hartley could respond affirmatively, he added, “I don’t have one.”

Blinking, the brunet dropped his eyes to crotch level. They bounced back up then jumped to Mick who shrugged, “He’s not kidding, kid.”

With a pout, Hartley grumbled, “That’s just not fair.”

“True,” Len affirmed.

“Do you want one?” Hartley asked. His brows furrowed.

“You offering?” retorted Len.

“Well, yeah – in both senses.”

Mick snickered not bothering to hide his laughter when both Hartley and Len glared at him. Instead, the pyro walked away chuckling and stealing bombs and other equipment from Hartley’s shelves. Turning his attention back to Hartley, Len debated his options. While it was unlikely Hartley’s extracurricular activities for the Santini were truly due to a desire to cause harm, the connection still existed. Even considering the odds that Hartley was a plant by Team Flash, revealing his reasoning wasn’t ideal.

“Haven’t seen any I’d like to wear around. Maybe when there’s a structurally and aesthetically pleasing one on the market, I’ll reconsider,” Len explained. That had been his reasoning before the baby, so there wasn’t any reason for Hartley to pick anything up even if Len learned how to keep his pulse steady during a lie.

With a dramatic sigh, Hartley stood and closed the distance between them. “Thoughts on pegging?”

They were spiraling quickly down a rabbit hole for which they didn’t have time. Len used the few inches he had on Hartley to tower over the younger man. “We need to stop Albert.”

“Sure, sure – but after?”

“I’m taken.”

The slight smile slipped away from Hartley’s face. Crossing his arms, Hartley leaned back. “How long?”

“Long enough,” Len retorted.

He wasn’t about to argue semantics of his and Barry’s relationship with Harley especially when a month hardly sounded as permanent as having a child with someone made it. There hadn’t been a time before when Hartley pushed, and even if the kid had, the chances of Len looking away from Barry long enough to trust anyone with that side of him was close to nonexistent. A part of him had loved Barry since the first fight. The attraction had been instant. No one could give him a thrill like the speedster. Meta after meta – not a single one had given him the same thrill. Time-traveling with the Waverider crew had been close, but Barry was a safer sort of adrenaline rush. One that had so many more risks but didn’t have death listed, and with their daughter on the way, death was something Len wanted to avoid.

“I see…” Hartley took another step back. “But if you weren’t?”

“Don’t do this to yourself.”

“Oh, you love them!” the Pied Piper exclaimed. His voice grew quieter. “It’s Barry, isn’t it? God, I can’t compete with that leather-clad glory. His ass is fantastic. The two sexiest men in Central and you’re together. That’s not fair at all. How’d he get you? I thought you were dedicated to going down with that ship.” Hartley’s eyes widened. “Bivolo - fuck! Santini said but I - well, shit! I’d just gotten you to consider me as a possibility!”

“What did Santini say?” Len asked. His eyes narrowed as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

Hartley held up his hands. “He said you had to kill Bivolo, or it was war, but an enforcer saw the Flash get blasted and go after you. Gave him a chance to take Bivolo in for a little TLC mob-style, and, well, you know how that went for him. Anyways, Bivolo went on about hitting you and the Flash with lust. Enforcer saw Flash but couldn’t confirm you. Then you up and disappeared after burning down that house. Everyone wanted to know if…well…if the Flash-”

“Consensual as you can get with Bivolo,” Len cut Hartley off before he could hear further speculation. “Now, can you track Albert? His powers have to be giving off some kind of energy or frequency.”

“Not necessarily, but as I’ve got what I wanted from the Santini, how about we meet back up at Safe House #4. That’s the one in that basement complex in downtown, right?” When Len nodded, Hartley continued, “I’ll collect my equipment, meet you there. I’m guessing from the guns, we’re doing this as quickly as possible.”

“No, the guns were in case there was trouble,” Mick retorted toying with what looked to be a jack-in-the-box.

“Don’t touch that!” Hartley called.

Len raised a brow. “Doing side projects for Jesse?"

“When that goes off, it releases a high dose of sedative followed by an aerosolized version of James’s medication. Shawna and I keep a copy on hand to give to James if he goes rogue,” Hartley explained. “He designed them, so they’d be enticing.”

Mick placed the box back on the shelf. “We good?”

“I’ll swing by around eight tonight?” Hartley offered. “How far are we in this one?"

“Boss’s already memorized the mark’s history, the layout of his place, and his routine,” Mick replied.

“I did so miss working with someone capable of forethought,” Hartley smiled at Len.

“Eight,” Len retorted heading out with Mick close behind.

“It’s a date!” Hartley called half-singing.


	14. Chapter 13

“This is a terrible idea,” Hartley collapsed back into a chair.

Mick raised a single brow and grunted. Len rubbed the bridge of his nose doing his best not to tug on the sweater that wasn't nearly as fitted as he was used to, but luckily, Hartley hadn’t made a comment despite the obvious way his eyes traced up and down Len’s body upon entering the safe house.

The table before them was covered in floor plans and city maps. Albert maintained an obsessively stable schedule. His shopping trips came every second Thursday. Everything about him screamed workaholic. Inside his apartment, there weren’t any personal photographs. Every piece of furniture would have blended into sand dune. Albert’s distinct schedule made his random detours glaringly obvious.

“How hasn’t Barry noticed this?” Len grumbled.

Shrugging, Hartley smirked. “He trusts people. Probably didn’t even cross his mind to match up the changes after Flashpoint. I mean, come on, suddenly he has a lab mate, and that doesn’t stand out to him?”

Len sighed. There wasn’t a point in arguing. It was a part of Barry’s personality that the Rogues had repeatedly exploited. Trust wasn’t something any of them came by easily. Len, especially, had fought against yelling in frustration each time he managed to string the hero out and leave him tangled like a kite in a tree.

Resisting the urge to lay a hand against his stomach, Len stood and leaned over the table. “We grab him tonight.”

“Best option,” Mick agreed.

“Bad option!” Hartley sputtered. “If he is Alchemy – which all this suggests he is – how are we going to contain him." 

“Julian Albert has no idea he’s Dr. Alchemy. We take him. Put him someplace to cool. Gives us a chance to case his place and the lab while Barry’s on patrol,” Len explained

Hartley rubbed his eyes. “Barry’ll kill me if you get hurt.”

“Not his call,” Len snapped.

Hartley’s eyes rose to meet Len’s icy gaze. “I’m not stupid, Len.”

“Then you know when to shut up,” Mick countered.

Gritting his teeth, Hartley drummed his fingers on his knees. “And when your cozy domestic life goes a little more just plain domestic after this? Run away with Mick to who-knows-where?” When Mick’s eyes jumped to Len, Hartley nodded. “Yeah, I know. I’ve been keeping track of you two since you got back. Fake passports? That house in Seattle? Do you think anywhere on Earth would be far enough to keep Barry from you? From his kid?”

 “Think knowing how to disappear is more my area of expertise than yours,” Len retorted.

Between their earlier conversation and the swell of his stomach hidden beneath the unusually over-sized black sweater, he wasn’t surprised Hartley had figured it out. The kid was a genius after all. However, while he’d agreed not to run and see how things played out, Len didn’t enjoy having his exit strategies criticized by a man that had been repeatedly beaten by Team Flash. Hartley had never tried to disappear. He just escaped.

“I’m not threatening anyone,” Hartley swore as he stood. “I’m saying take me with you.”

Mick snorted. “Hell no.”

“Why not? I’m better than Cisco. I could hide us from them. I could keep us off Barry’s radar. He could walk right by our house like I was your fucking Secret Keeper. I can barely stand Central City, and if you go, I’m stuck here with these sub-par intellects.” Hartley rounded the table and didn’t back down when Len’s hand fell to his gun. “I’m in, Len. We get Albert. We figure out the whole Alchemy schtick, but then what? Barry finds out. Things smooth out – great. Things go south…you’ve got me. 100% - friend or more – you’ve got me.”

“Don’t give up easy, do you?” Mick said, resting his gun on the table.

“Shut up, Mick,” Hartley retorted without looking away from Len.

“I’m guessing you aren’t in unless we take you along,” Len glanced at Mick. Running his fingers over the handle of his gun, Len frowned. “If it goes south, you’re all in.”

“You, me, Mick – the little one – all in,” Hartley confirmed.

The younger man’s eyes seemed to snap with electricity. While Len had known about Hartley’s infatuation, he hadn’t noticed it move from a flirtation into something so passionate. In a lot of ways, Hartley was a twisted reflection of Barry. They shared the same pale skin, brown hair, and boyish charm. Darkness lurked beneath the surface in both. Hartley just let it out every once and a while.

“Put out the call.”

Lips twitching up into a smirk, Hartley swaggered up the stairs. In five minutes, Albert would receive a call to attend a case. He’d curse Barry likely, but he’d show up nonetheless. They’d spring the trap away from Albert’s home – away from where he’d left his mask and robes.

Mick holstered his gun. “That was a bad idea.”

“He’d’ve spilled if we’d left without him,” Len replied. “Besides, this won’t go south.”

“Gave ‘em the video.” Mick shook his head.

“Snow’s showing it to Cisco and Barry as we speak.” Pulling on his parka, Len drawled, “Barry fucked his end of the bargain, but I’m a man of my word.”

Snorting, Mick asked, “For how long?”

“At least until the Sandes house is ready,” Len informed him.

“Still think Grimstad would’ve been better,” Mick grumbled as he helped Len roll and hide the papers.  

With a shrug, Len headed upstairs, and Mick followed close behind. While they’d chosen to spring the trap close to Safe House #4, they couldn’t risk Albert spotting them. In the cold of early December, the trio of rogues prepared to catch Alchemy. 

Hidden on opposite sides of a curve in the trail, Mick and Len waited guns drawn. Hartley laid on his stomach with his forehead on his right arm. His hood fell over his head, hiding the shine of his glasses as images from nearby security cameras rotated as they waited for Albert. While the easily vexed lab tech had left his house to join a supposed police team in the park, he had another minute before he arrived if he’d gone by his regular pattern as Len had predicted.

Detective West stood over Hartley. The frown which contorted his features seemed etched into his face. Cisco was dressed as a uniformed officer and had just finished putting up a tape barrier. Somewhere outside the park, Iris was doing her best to ensure no other reporters caught wind of what they were doing. Barry hovered between Len and West.

“We could handle this,” Barry insisted for the nth time.

“My plan,” Len retorted. “I’m in.”

Barry sidled up against Len. Despite the Cold Gun, he pressed his chest to Len’s and kissed the ex-thief. When Len leaned his head back and raised an eyebrow, Barry sighed. “I don’t like that Hartley knows.”

“I don’t like that you’re going to blow our cover.”

“I’m serious, Len,” Barry whispered, dropping his voice as his eyes slid over to where Hartley remained head-down. “Why’s he the deceased anyways?”

“Can’t lie on my stomach well. Mick can’t act worth a damn, and Hartley’s weapons are good at close range,” Len explained. Nodding at Cisco, he added, “Not risking my sister’s good –as-husband.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“I’m always right.”

Barry rolled his eyes. Pressing a quick kiss to Len’s cheek, the speedster murmured, “I’m really glad you brought me in on this.”

“Wouldn’t been quicker if you’d done the same,” Len replied.

A frown flickered over the hero’s lips. His eyebrows furrowed, but before he could reply, Julian Albert came jogging down the path with his kit. Barry’s vibrated, and the world around him and Len slowed. At first, Len wondered if Barry had sped them both up just to continue their conversation; however, Barry raced off knocking out and restraining Albert. Following, Len kept an eye out for Savitar. If his mouth piece was getting taken down, there was a chance he’d show. A glint of silver confirmed Len’s suspicions.

“Flash,” Len called. “Your actual date’s here.”

Len grabbed Albert from Barry as the Flash took off to intercept the supposed god of speed. Barry and the silver glimmer crossed the edge of the park – barely half a mile away – and Len slowed though not completely. Vibrating, he dropped Albert in front of West who stared at him in shock.

“We haven’t had a chance to test the distance,” Len drawled keeping the words as slow as possible.

“Guess you weren’t lying about it being Barry’s,” West replied.

“Whoa!” Cisco drew a machine from his pocket. “We’ve got to test this! Let me get some measurements…”

Mick sneered – a strange sight in slow-motion – and pushed the device down. Though the engineer seemed less than eager to discontinue his examination, he slid the machine back into his pocket. A shimmer of silver caught Len’s eyes. For a second, his speed increase then it dropped as scarlet and silver disappeared.

“Savitar’s here.”

“Wasn’t that why we were supposed to deal with Albert?” Hartley asked. Brushing himself off, he got to his feet.

“Go save the kid,” Mick urged slinging Albert over his shoulder.

Not needing to be told twice, Len ran. Silver and scarlet flashed in blurs, but as Len drew closer, their movements became clearer. A giant silver armor lit with a blue glow and white lightning slammed Barry against the ground. Len took aim and fired. The cold ray slammed into Savitar covering him in a thick layer of ice. As his hands twitched, Barry slipped out of the villain’s grip. Holding down the trigger, Len covered the monstrous apparition in a block of ice.

“Len, it won’t hold him! Get out of here!” Barry pleaded.

Beneath the ice, Savitar vibrated. Barry launched himself to Len’s side. Wrapping his arms around Len, Barry dropped into a crouch shielding Len’s body with his own as shards of ice rained down around them. Savitar huffed, collapsing to a knee. However, between the ice and his slowed movements, he was visible just long enough for Caitlin to take aim. The good doctor had slipped out of her cuffs. Her eyes glowed ice blue as she froze Savitar through. Aiming, Len joined her. Barry vibrated on the periphery to ensure at least one of the two could see their target.

Encased in a block of ice the size of a tank, Savitar stilled. Len kept his gun trained as he called to Caitlin, “Don’t suppose those new cuffs could hold him.”

“We can’t even be sure he’s a meta!” Caitlin called back as she crossed the park in sidesteps to stand beside Barry.

Above their heads, thunder rolled. Lightning struck. Savitar stood free. Before Caitlin could act, the metallic speedster sent her flying. Barry raced to catch her. As Savitar vibrated, Len sped along. Inside his womb, his daughter reacted to his panic. The cold ray slowed as Len was thrown into the Speed Force, but this time, the danger followed.

“Impossible,” the metallic speedster growled. “You’re not a meta!”

Len raised a brow. “And you’re not a god.”

Blue glowing eyes fell to his abdomen. “Barry Allen…sleeping with the enemy – he’s unworthy of being the Flash!”

“Enemy? So you know who I am,” Len hummed, wondering if Speed Force Barry would appear.

“Captain Cold.”

“Meta…Captain Cold…do all of Barry’s enemies obsessively memorize his career stats?” Len asked. 

Savitar, however, was too consumed in his own thoughts to respond. “He cheated on Iris – with a murdering thief? Whimpering, pathetic mongrel…I should have killed him. I should have let Eobard kill him.” 

Warning lights flashed in Len’s mind. As if summoned by the man’s increased panic, a form solidified in the Speed Force. Savitar launched forward, but the Speed Force’s avatar simply slid around him on its way to stand before Len. Barry’s green eyes sparkled, and even as close as he’d been to the hero, Len could hardly tell the difference between the Speed Force’s facsimile and the truth speedster. 

“Barry Allen!” Savitar roared. 

“Speed Force,” it corrected.

“Then I’ll kill the bastard,” the metallic speedster retorted; however, he froze as light curled around him like chains. 

“Five out of six speedsters say no.” The Speed Force smiled, wrapping an arm around Len’s waist.

“Five?”

“Jessie, Wally, Barry and your daughter of course – plus Eobard.”

Len drew his brows together. Eyes narrowed; he asked, “Why would Thawne want me alive?”

“Oh…Barry hasn’t told you about the Dominators or the recent visit from your old crew.” Frowning, the Speed Force Barry let his arm drop. “That’s not good.” 

“Dominators?” Len shook his head. There would be time to interrogate the real Barry. “What did the Legends want?” 

“Eobard has been altering the timeline. Your part of his end goal – one of them. I can’t say more.” The Speed Force ducked its head in the same way Barry did to look up through its lashes in a silent plea for forgiveness. 

Turning to Savitar, Len frowned. “Edward Thawne.”

“Unfortunately…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah...I'm going with that theory.


	15. Chapter 15

Chains brought the metallic Thawne to his knees. Tilting his head, Len narrowed his eyes studying the supposed God of Speed. Light pulsed around them. It was like being in the center of a live wire. Not too different from being with Barry really.

“Wouldn’t have thought of this as being a democracy,” Len drawled.

Force Barry shrugged. “It is – and it isn’t.”

“And I don’t get a full explanation, right?” When the other nodded, Len rolled his eyes. “Peachy.”

Strolling toward the silver speedster, Len crouched to look the robotic face in its glowing eyes. The villain struggled to avoid the thief’s gaze. He roared and bellowed more like a furnace than the man he had once been. There was nothing about Savitar which said Edward Thawne. Len might have more readily believed it was just some punked up adrenaline junky. Well, if it hadn’t been for the way Savitar raged about Iris. She was a pretty girl, but besides Barry, there’d only been one guy ready to kill and to die for her.

“Whore,” the speedster spat.

With a frown, Len replied, “Bivolo.”

Small twitches – like gears beneath the surface – rolled over Thawne’s new face. “Pathetic,” Savitar gritted out, and a wave of cool understanding passed through Len as his conscious mind caught up with the rest.

“Who’s pulling your strings?” Captain Cold murmured.

“You disgusting aberration of time! The universe would have been better off with you dead!” Savitar sneered as much as his mechanical face permitted.

Glancing back to Force Barry, Len smirked. “Odds on him having a body under that armor?”

“Nonexistent,” the avatar replied.

“So…Barry trapped you in the Speed Force. Seems like it wasn’t exactly him,” Len pointed out gesturing toward the chains of electricity as he stood. “Considering him and Iris broke up a while back – maybe we can get you a knew human body. I’m sure Snow has some genetic material from you, and the Waverider should be able to replicate you something to jump into.”

“That’s a horrible idea!” a second Barry exclaimed.

Len raised a brow, flicking his eyes from Force Barry to real Barry. Barry leapt back. He raised his fists in defense before realizing he was looking at his own face. Sidestepping to Len’s side, Barry pulled Len behind him, so the scarlet speedster stood between Len and both Savitar and Force Barry.

“Hi, Barry!” Force Barry saluted with a small smirk. “Took you long enough.”

“Barry Allen!” Savitar roared, struggling against his bonds.

“Now would be a good time for you to escape,” Barry informed Len.

“Until baby calms, I’m not going anywhere,” Len retorted.

With all his inch of extra height and his slim form, Barry turned, trying to block Len from view. He placed his hands on either side of the bump. The world around them slowed. Barry inhaled slowly. Pressing his forehead against Len’s, Barry slid his eyes closed. Warmth flooded every inch of Lenard Snart’s body. Cold was his natural element, but the heat whenever Barry touched him never failed to set his heart racing. Speed and cold – those two elements should have cancelled each other out. Instead, every step closer was like approaching an explosion. The intensity just kept growing.

“That’s right, sweetie. Follow Daddy,” the speedster whispered.

It was like a bubble had formed around them. Savitar’s screams and the bright light of the Speed Force faded. One of Barry’s hands slid to Len’s face. He cupped the older man’s cheek and tilted his chin to slot their lips together. They’d had these kisses before. Languid on Sunday mornings when Barry didn’t work. It was all so ridiculous. Captain Cold and the Flash – slowing down with an early morning kiss.

Light blurred with streaks of green as the park formed around them. Barry pulled away with a soft sigh. Groaning as Len ran his tongue along his lip, Barry dragged the pregnant man back in for a far more heated kiss. Hands caress. Both men clawed at clothes and slid at skin over each other. Barry’s hands end on Len’s ass, kneading in a promise Len knew the kid would deliver. Len was a bit less decided: one hand on the muscled speedster’s ass; the other on one of the younger man’s broad shoulder.

It’s only instinct that splits Len’s attention when the park comes into focus. He’s rarely capable of being fully unaware outside of his safe houses – their new house included. The Flash crew was mostly gone. Likely to deal with the mystery of Alchemy. Only Lisa and Caitlin remained. Both looked exceedingly anxious. A normal expression for the doctor; however, Lisa rarely got so antsy.

When she saw what exactly her brother is doing, however, her expression turned exasperated. “Seriously, Lenny?”

The ex-thief moaned. His nails scratched against the suit for a few more seconds before he pulled away. “Really blame me?”

Her eyes traced an exaggerated line up Barry’s body. Despite all they’ve done together, the brunette still blushes though his scarlet suit hides it well. “Point taken.”

“Shouldn’t we be more concerned about Savitar?”  the doctor whispered as thought the name would summon the villain.

“We left him trapped in the Speed Force.”

Len chuckled. “So you were paying attention.”

“I’m always paying attention,” Barry replied. A small smirk tilted up one side of his mouth. “Like how there was a replica of me.”

“And how Savitar is Edward Thawne,” Len informed the group.

Barry’s teasing smile vanished. “What?”

“No!” Caitlin gasped. Her delicate hands jumped to cover her mouth.

Lisa’s brows furrowed. “Like Iris’s Eddie?”

“It might have something to do with Eobard popping around the timeline. Oh,” Len turned to Barry. “Or with the whole Dominator issue that popped up a bit ago.”

“No way – we took care of that,” Lisa defended. Her eyes widened. “Wait – how do you know about that?”

“The Force,” her brother explained.

“Replica Barry is the Speed Force?” Barry murmured.

Caitlin frowned. “But Eddie’s dead. How could he be Savitar?”

“Time isn’t a solid line, especially for speedsters.” Len shrugged.

Shaking his head, Barry said, “It’s my fault. This has to be because of Flashpoint. Alchemy didn’t exist before then either.”

“Probably, so are we going to do about it?”


	16. Chapter 16

"No," Barry paced, forcing himself to walk when electricity sparked around his feet.

 

Sitting on the couch with his feet propped up, Len sighed. "It would work."

 

"You're pregnant. You gave me your word you'd take it easy and wouldn't do anything risky! This," Barry gestured at the hypothermal lantern. "Is dangerous! And it was in our basement! What were you thinking? No, I don't want to know. You'll say something smart and snarky, and I'm just gonna fold. I always fold."

 

The shorter man shrugged; his lips curved into a one-sided smirk, leaving the younger man to groan. The speedster buried his fingers into his hair. He leaned backward, grumbling under his breath. With a sigh, he stepped around the coffee table and dragged the nearby ottoman over to sit down on it beside Leonard. His right hand immediately reached out, interweaving with Len's against the baby belly. Warmth spread like a shiver over Len's. Every time they touched, the world seemed impossible - more like a dream of a dying man than the reality he lived. Thawne and dealing with a meta child - none of that scared him. Leonard Snart needed stimulation, and loving a hero provided plenty of that. 

 

"I can't believe we're going to be parents in four months," Barry murmured. "Of a little girl."

 

"Named Scarlet."

 

Barry laughed. It bubbled out, and resting his head against Len's shoulder. "Please tell me that's not final."

 

"You get one veto," the thief informed him. 

 

"So it's a trap! You've got your actual choice all lined up and ready to go the second I veto Scarlet," Barry crowed, leaning in to steal a kiss. "I'm on to you, conman."

 

Humming, Len pulled Barry back down. Having Barry's lips at his disposal would never get old. His heart leapt in tandem with Barry's. They belong here. Spending the rest of his life with Barry beside him sent shivers down the thief's spine. If he wanted, Leonard Snart could write a list of a hundred reason they wouldn't work. Even placing Barry's heroics aside, there was a near immortality provided to speedsters. Aging slowed by the Speed Force. In these moments with Barry's lips pressed against his own, none of that mattered. Every kiss defied those calculations in the back of his head. Every time counting down to disaster.

 

Pulling back, Len smiled at Barry's glazed brown eyes and quirked brow. "My plans work." Fluttering kicks pressed beneath his and Barry's hands. "Work better with you."

 

Barry sighed. "Next time you build an ice bomb in our basement, tell me. Okay, Iceman?"

 

"Full disclosure. Promise," Len drawled. His lips quirked into a smirk. "Quicksilver."

 

"What? No, I could totally beat him," Barry argued.

  
The thief shrugged. "Mutant to meta...tie?"

 

"Yeah, right. Maybe if the Speed Force didn't exist," the hero retorted with a wide grin. His smile faded as his hand returned to the bump. "Now, explain it to me again."

 

"Easy. Caitlin gives Waverider the DNA sample. New body, Speed Force gets sad, and Savitar get's a slower vehicle," Len summed up. 

 

Barry frowned. Pulling away, he paced the length of the living room. Giving Savitar a body was difficult enough, but they had no guarantee they'd be able to reason with him. He'd shot himself for good reason, and death hadn't been too kind. Slowing the insane leftovers of Eddie Thawne should work with the lantern's field range. As the Speed Force trapped him, Edward Thawne wasn't exactly going anywhere. There were more reasons to let him just rot away than to risk their lives to save him. Alchemy had been dealt with. A stupid stone destroyed and everything else set back in alignment, but the choice of leaving Eddie Thawne to rot? Barry would never be able to live with himself, and Len wasn't about to lose the hero over something so idiotic. Whether the thief helped or not, Team Flash had made up their minds the second Len had revealed Savitar's true identity. 

 

Leonard sighed, crossing his arms as he awaited the speedster's answer. Barry's green eyes jumped between the baby bump and Len's lips then up to his eyes. Tears gathered at the edges, and Barry inhaled slowly, pulling himself up to his full height. Not a good sign. 

 

"I'm using my veto," Barry whispered, meeting Leonard's gaze.

 

Quirking an eyebrow up, the older man hummed, "Thought it was a trap."

 

"Not on that. I'm using it against you being there when we take him out."

 

Sitting up straight, Leonard frowned. "My machine. My plan."

 

"Teach Cisco how to use it. I'm sure Lisa would agree. You need to be nowhere near this," Barry retorted. The muscles in his jaw clenched as his eyes watered. "I can't...I can't risk losing you, Len." His eyes fell to their baby. "Or her. I can't do it. I'm not strong enough, and if you get tied up in the Speed Force because of me...I can't. I just can't."

 

A good thief knew when to push and when to fold. With a twitch of an eyebrow and his lips, Len held out his right hand. "Terms accepted."

 

Barry surged forward, pressing their lips together. One hand cupped Leonard's face as the other slid over the other man's shoulder as the brunette straddled the thief. From his seat in the leather chair in the far corner, Mick cleared his throat. Reluctantly, the pair pulled apart. The pyro folded his hands together. His heavy brow settled low over his eyes.

 

"As beautiful as that is, there are a few other people we need to share this with."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting back into this slowly. Trying to remember where we were going. Well, besides to baby-town. 
> 
> Really debating going back to Chapter 9 and cutting it off there with an epilogue or something...I don't know, take this as a "we'll see."


	17. Chapter 17

Snow paced the length of the main room, wringing her fingers. Every few laps, she twisted her left ring finger, and her hands would drop stiffly to her side. Old habits died hard. Watching her did nothing to help the rock-like weight sitting in Len's stomach. While surviving without Barry was possible, he didn't want that. Helping Eddie Thawne was good. Saving people had to be the right thing, so even if it was risky and stupid, Barry would want to save Savitar rather than destroy him. If Len ended up like Snow, he would steal the Waverider, go back in time, and fix it. Time Masters be damned. When Snow turned sharply, dropping her arms to her side, Len sighed. 

 

"Nothing's happened. Save the nerves for when they're actually in danger," Len told her.

 

He crossed his arms over his chest, but the picture - feet on the console and everything - wasn't nearly as intimidating when his baby bump interfered with his arm placement. It was minute. Itching close to the sixth month, he wasn't nearly as big as he'd get, but every minute interference with his regular movement screamed out like floor triggers. 

 

"How can you be so calm?" she asked, walking over to him with her fingers curled into fists. Ice crystals formed in the air, leaving a trail of vapors in her wake. When she noted his gaze, she groaned and shook out her hands. "The suppressor isn't working!"

 

"Are you Killer Frost?" 

 

"Well, no," Snow replied.

 

Len nodded. "Working."

 

Setting her hands on her hips, Dr. Caitlin Snow huffed, "How do you know they haven't started yet? You don't even know where they are. You've just been playing on your phone for the last fifteen minutes!"

 

Lips twitching into a smirk, Len pressed a few buttons, sending his phone screen onto the large screen on the far wall. A circular field out in an uninhabited area outside the city popped up with a number of red heat signatures. 

 

"That's Barry," Len said, pointing to the one furthest to the right. "Runs hot." His finger fell to the bottom left where a dot flicked back and forth across the screen. "Speedsters run hot - Wally. Too new to stand still." The closest dot to his lantern and well within the safe field. "Not putting up with cold, runs about normal - hot spot overlaid - that's Mick. Guy next to him is Hartley." Pointing to the furthest dot that barely made the map. "Cisco - teleports in if needed. Also the eyes and ears of the Waverider crew who have Thawne's new body on hand to bring in once Savitar is subdued."

 

"We removed all of your tracers. How -," Snow waved a hand at the scream.

 

"Lantern doesn't just send out a cold field. Also takes note of anything within its reach. Cisco takes a step back - he'll be out of our sight," he explained. Her hands rose to wring again. Rolling his eyes, Len dropped his feet and stood. "Come along, Snow."

 

She followed as he walked into her med bay. Slipping up onto one of the beds, he tugged up his black sweater. When he reached over to smear the gel on his abdomen, she stepped in and took over.

 

"Have you decided on a doctor?" Snow asked. She'd be Snow until Barry, Mick, and Cisco were safe. He couldn't afford to care about her right now.

 

"No."

 

Her face fell as she moved the wand over his stomach, pulling up the comforting sound of his baby girl's heartbeat. "You need a doctor. You're on the older end to give birth and with your history..."

 

"Spent my life without doctors. Mended my own broken bones, stitched up my own skin, found the medication I needed, stole the meds I needed. Sure, Daddy Dearest was all on board to have a boy, but I got the job done," Len informed her. His eyes never left the image of his daughter. "Can't exactly go anyway. Still a wanted man."

 

"Who was a mob moss for a while. How do you not have a doctor on the payroll?"

 

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you think you are?"

 

She huffed, and he took the wand as she paced. "I won't say I haven't studied up since you and Barry told me...well, since Mick told me, but I'm not trained. If it comes down to it, I'm not sure I have the skill to save your womb if you hemorrhage."

 

"Good. Don't."

 

Snow blanched as white as her name. "What? You can't be serious!"

 

"Can't save it. Don't."

 

Her rested her face in her hands. "That's not how this works. I'm not trained to do a hysterectomy."

 

"Don't have to do anything. I acquired a robot from the Waverider while they were making Thawne 2.0," Len shifted the wand, watching his baby move. "Might set me back a bit - DNA is difficult. Should've seen how soft my hand was after they grew it back."

 

"You think you've thought of everything, don't you?" 

 

Len smirked as his girl found her thumb. "Not really." 

 

"I understand this is difficult for you, but you need to put your health and your baby's health first," she argued, and Len scoffed, replacing the wand and cleaning himself off. "I appreciate your trust. I really do, but are you sure you want to trust someone without any sort of obstetric experience with your first labor?"

 

"Have someone in mind, Snow?"

 

 

"Yes!" Her heels clicked across the floor, and with a press of a button, eight faces appeared on the screen. "All of these are qualified professions within a reasonable distance of Central City!"

 

"No, no, cocaine addict, paid to have his wife's brother killed, no," Len listed of, removing five of the eight and shifting the addict and killer into a separate file. 

 

"Three, three's more than I thought," Snow admitted. "I'll contact them and set up some appointments."

 

Frowning, Len studied the final names. "No. I want their names, families, any papers they've done, schools..." He shook his head. "I'll do it myself."

 

Crossing her arms, Snow pressed her lips together. "You aren't the only one worried, you know."

 

"Fine. Look up Kent Nelson."


	18. Chapter 18

A flutter passed along Len's insides. Frowning, he pressed a hand to the bump. Another flutter then the world slowed. Within a breath, the air crackled around him then snapped back, throwing him forward against the console.

 

"Leonard?" Caitlin called. Her heels clicked across the floor.

 

Len didn't speak, pulling out his cell. His fingers flew across the console. All the cameras he could find from every satellite he'd hacked or had hacked by Hartley in preparation popped up on the screen. The hottest spot on the screen was gone. Barry was gone. Blood rushed, deafening him as Caitlin stood across from him. Though her lips moved, he couldn't hear a word she said. Retrieving footage from the previous minute, Leonard Snart watched as the Flash flew across the screen. Savitar appeared - metal flew off of him, and energy rushed as what was left of Edward Thawne merged with the body formed by the Waverider crew, but Len's eyes were on Thawne. When the armor flew off the ex-dead detective, Barry disappeared. He blinked out of existence completely. 

 

An ache spread out across Leonard's back. Collapsing back into the chair, Len forced himself to take a deep breath. Baby wasn't panicking, no reason to get her going. As he breathed, Caitlin's words drifted through the fog.

 

"What just happened? Are you okay?"

 

"Peachy," Len assured her.

 

Blue fluid waves of time rippled near the doorway. Wally rushed through into the med bay with the newly returned Edward Thawne. Right behind him, Detective West followed with Cisco, Hartley and Mick in tow. Cisco raced around the room, grabbing pieces of equipment only to discard them a few seconds later. He gritted his teeth as their voices echoed off the lab's walls.

 

"What the hell happened out there!?" West roared.

 

Mick rested his gun on his shoulder. "Legends are working on it."

 

"Don't have time for that," Cisco yelled. "We've got to locate him. I put a tracker in his suit. I have the device here somewhere...Leonard? Did you move it?"

 

Hartley crossed his arms. "Can't believe Barry abandoned Len." He shrugged. "And the baby."

 

"Kid had no choice. Whatever happened, he didn't go willingly," Mick retorted; his eyes flicked between Len and Hartley. 

 

Caitlin knelt. Her fingers sought out Leonard's pulse. Part of him wanted to wave her off, but the other was afraid to move. 

 

"Course he didn't," West agreed. He gestured violently at Len. "He wouldn't have even been in that position if it wasn't for you!"

 

"What happened?" Iris demanded as she and Lisa joined them.

 

"We got Thawne in his body," Wally said, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. "Caitlin? Could you...?"

 

Caitlin frowned. Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Yes...coming."

 

She raced across the room to Thawne's side. Iris followed quickly after, but Lisa stood still, studying the unfolding frustration, fear, and uncertainty.

 

"This is your fault," West roared. 

 

"How is this my brother's fault?" Lisa demanded, stepping between the two.

 

"It was his plan! His idea! This whole mess was his risky move," West retorted. "We should've never involved a criminal in Team Flash."

 

Their voices built. Mick and Hartley argued about Barry's intentions or lack thereof in leaving. West accused Len, and Lisa stood for him in defense. Iris cried for joy over Edward Thawne's return even as Caitlin noted his brain activity and pulse were weak - but suggestive more of a comatose state than brain death. Curses volleyed from one side of the room to the other, but Len couldn't move. 

 

His heart raced. The room was too warm. A throbbing pain spread up from his lower back, and in his abdomen, a tightening nausea-inducing ache fluttered. The baby wasn't speeding up. Their daughter wasn't using her powers. Every single moment of panic with or without Barry involved slowed the world around him, but nothing happened now. This was worse. Worse than his almost death. Worse than every moment of fear and terror between then and now. He'd spent over a month learning breathing techniques and starting yoga to avoid her fluttery panics into speedster-dom. Now, she remained still. 

 

A chill bled through the air. Len exhaled, and a cloud of vapor rose from between his lips. In the center of the room, Caitlin stood. White spread from the roots of her hair, and ice blue stole the warmth away from her eyes. Clenching her fists, she roared, "EVERYONE! GET OUT!"

 

"I need my equipment!" Cisco retorted only to have Caitlin shove the offending item into his hands.

 

"That's the stupid Barry Tracker. Everything else is in your lab or at your apartment. You don't have to leave the building, but you all need to leave this room," she commanded. Her eyes softened at Iris's stricken look. "Just stay in there with Eddie."

 

"Thanks," Iris whispered and closed the door, turning her attention back to the love of her life. 

 

"Caitlin, we need -," West began, but Caitlin held up a hand. Ice crystals formed in the air.

 

"Get out. Now."

 

Mick rounded on the detective, throwing an arm around him. "Let's talk outside before we upset the lady."

 

West frowned, furrowing his brows, but the room quickly vacated. Len forced a smirk. "Getting a bit frosty there, Snow."

 

Color returned to her hair, and the warmth melted ice to brown. "You aren't speeding up, and you're in obvious pain. What hurts?"

 

"Lower back. Abdomen," he told her. She nodded, racing into the med bay to take the ultra sound out. She rolled the machine over to him as he rolled up his shirt. 

 

Len grabbed the cool gel spreading  it across as he forced himself to keep breathing. "She isn't moving. She sped up then stopped. Something's wrong."

 

"You know how to keep a cool head. You've probably just adapted to avoid speeding up unnecessarily," Caitlin assured, but Len wasn't so sure. Strategy might've been his forte, but impulse control hadn't necessarily been something he had in spades. He'd just gotten good at thinking on his feet. 

 

"Something feels wrong," he admitted as she searched for the baby, looking for the flutter of a heartbeat. 

 

Pressing a few buttons, Caitlin smiled. A sound like a galloping horse echoed throughout the room. Len sighed in relief. His shoulders sagged as he leaned back in the chair, taking in the beautiful sound.

 

"She's fine, Leonard," Caitlin informed him.

 

Len closed his eyes. "In my line of work...ex-line of work, getting this attached to anything is a mistake."

 

"Loving your baby isn't a bad thing."

 

"Not the baby...Barry. I'm reliant on him. Guy tries, but hero complex. We get him back this time. It's just another countdown until next time he disappears or dies or gets captured." Len opened his eyes, meeting Caitlin's brown. "Knowing the future means shit if you know how easily it can be changed."

 

The doctor frowned. Her concern scrawled all over her face. She and Barry were so alike. They wore their hearts on their sleeves, and no amount of power seemed capable of corrupting them despite what anyone else said. For a self-destructive moment, Len wondered how many universes saw Snow and Barry together. Likely more than he cared to know.

 

"The worst day of loving someone is losing them," Caitlin agreed. "I couldn't function for months after Ronnie...and then when he died...again. Even if you're perfectly capable of surviving on your own, love reminds you that you don't have to - that you don't want to. It's hard. I know that first hand, but it's worth it, Len. Every day with them is a gift, and you have this beautiful baby - you both will. We'll find a way to get him back, and we'll keep fighting because that's what friends do. You aren't ever alone." Her eyes shimmered. "I know that doesn't always feel like enough, but we'll get through this. I promise. When you love someone, you fight for them."

 

Leonard nodded. His eyes shifted to the video. Barry appearing and disappearing in a flash of lightning. Certainty settled like a familiar blanket over his shoulders. "He's in the Speed Force." 

 

"What?"

 

Shaking his head, Len cursed himself for not realizing his mistake earlier. "He's in the Speed Force. Messing with time again. Not on purpose. Might not even realize he is. Doesn't matter. Barry Allen's in the Speed Force, and we're getting him back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally planned out to the end. 7 chapters until then (6 after this one).


	19. Chapter 19

"We'll figure out a way to get him out," Caitlin assured him as she tested his blood pressure.

 

Len frowned, staring at Eddie Thawne's comatose form in the next bed. "Can't get the gun ready in time for baby though, and when he gets out, he'll have spent at least four months in there."

 

"Assuming Cisco doesn't succeed in the next four weeks, then yes, but if he's the Barry who's been the Speed Force persona you've seen, then he's okay. He never appeared distressed, and we both know Barry would be happy to know he was with you after the Oculus," Caitlin retorted. She wrote down the numbers with the rest. "Well, everything looks good for you and baby. Your blood pressure's a bit high, but it's well within normal considering. However, your pregnancy is geriatric. Are you sure you don't want to bring in any of the other individuals I suggested? That last midwife was nice."

 

"Sweet enough to give me a tooth ache. Don't really want the blood sugar raised in a geriatric pregnancy," Leonard retorted, pressing his hand against his frustrating large stomach as his daughter took out her extra energy on his side. "I'll be happy when she's out."

 

"Leonard, you do realize this means no hysterectomy unless something I absolutely have to, and I'm really hoping nothing forces my hand. I'm confident I can deliver your baby and keep the two of you alive, but I don't want to risk any access surgery. Your body will be under enough strain. Are you really okay with that? Or do you want me to call in some favors? I know a few people in Boston who would be perfect -," Caitlin promised, but Leonard held up a hand.

 

"Getting my body back to where I had it will be enough for now. Between the ache in my chest and this," he said, gesturing down at the baby bump. "I'm not feeling myself. Get those taken care of, and I'll find a doctor who can handle me."

 

"So it's her your worried about something happening to, not yourself?" Iris asked as she entered.

 

With Leonard's prenatal appointments increasing due to his paranoia and Caitlin's desperation to find him a more highly qualified doctor, Leonard saw more of Iris West in the last few months since Barry vanished than he ever wanted. She had a back habit of walking a thin line between her father and brother - too much energy, too much self-righteousness - and too much 'I know Barry better than you.' The last was all Iris West, and as grateful as she was to have Eddie back, the man hadn't stirred even once. Only the monitors hinted of activity below the surface, and nobody could survive long with just hints of hope.

 

"Lower standards," Len retorted. "Hunter's got his hands on a Gideon unit up to the task."

 

"No," Caitlin waggled her finger. 

 

Iris frowned. "Why not? A Gideon unit is responsible for Eddie's body. Why not trust it with a hysterectomy? Or even a birth?"

 

"Because Barry created the original programming, and if Barry does that, then Leonard was right there with him." Caitlin's lips curved slightly downward into a frown. "Leonard Snart - are you only trusting Barry and yourself with this baby?"

 

"You and Mick too, but he's not exactly labor room material," Len drawled. 

 

Footsteps lumbered down the hall, and Iris's eyes widened. "Oh shit, my dad's here too. I'm so sorry. I meant to warn you."

 

Sliding his feet of the bed, Leonard shrugged as the detective entered. West pointedly ignored the thief, going straight to Thawne's bedside. Better that way in the end. Standing, Leonard nodded his appreciation and headed toward the door. The quicker he left, the easier it would be for everyone involved. However, Iris's self-righteous do-gooder self couldn't let that happen.

 

"This is insane! We all lost Barry. We all loved him. This should bring us together," she proclaimed, gesticulating with flowers as she switched them out as she did once every week. 

 

Joe West scoffed. "Barry wouldn't have been in the Speed Force if it wasn't for Snart."

 

"And Eddie would be!" Iris reminded him.

 

"This is better? Eddie's not waking up. Even if he does wake up, we don't know that he won't still be Savitar. You ready to spend the rest of your life trying to get back someone who might not be who they were ever again? He went into the Speed Force. Now Barry's there. How long's it gonna take before he's either lying in a bed right next to Eddie? Or at our throats like Savitar? And who's going to save the day then?" West demanded. He glared at Leonard. "You?"

 

"Needs be," Len replied.

 

Caitlin crossed her arms. "Leonard's responsible for the rehabilitation of more metas than anyone. He helped Cisco find a way to control the dark matter exposure to reverse particularly dangerous meta abilities. You just stuck victims in solitary confinement."

  
"Something you were fine with doing," West reminded her.

 

"A mistake I'm working to make amends on."

 

West frowned. Weariness lined his face. "And if Cisco's new cure is so good, why haven't you removed Killer Frost?"

 

"I don't need to because my powers don't define who I am," Caitlin replied. "Mick and Leonard have been helping me to utilize my powers without transitioning, so that I can meld the two personas."

 

"'Meld the two'...so you can be more like Killer Frost? Caitlin, we just lost Barry, and now you're letting them change you. It's a huge mistake," West informed her. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he gestured toward Snart. "This is all a huge mistake."

 

Len's eyes narrowed. "If you're referring to my child, she's not a 'this.'"

 

"Even you have to admit she was a mistake, Snart. Bivolo made you and Barry...this whole thing stemmed from Barry's overdeveloped sense of responsibility. He was dating Iris before you showed up, knocked up!" West spat. When he moved to step forward, Iris got in his way.

 

"Me and Barry were never going to work out," she told him. 

 

Cisco popped into the room with the schematics in hand. "Hey, Len...I'm not sure these wires can be crossed to accelerate...oh," he stopped short, noticing the tension. "What'd I miss?"

 

"Nothing," Iris exclaimed. "My dad was just leaving."

 

"Seriously? We're all just going to hold hands and pretend this isn't Snart's fault?" West looked between the old members of Team Flash. "This was his plan all along. He wanted to get rid of the one person who managed to stop him, and now we're all sitting on our thumbs pretending he won't go right back to his old self the second that kid's born."

 

"Joe, I get your upset, but your taking your anger out on a pregnant guy. You really want to be that guy?" Cisco asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

West scoffed. "How many times does Snart have to betray you all before you realize he's not one of the good guys?"

 

"That's it! You're banned from the lab!" Cisco proclaimed. "That's my fiance's brother. He's family now."

 

"Family? Family doesn't get people killed!"

 

Though West was on his own, he made up for it by listing every crime Len had ever done and increasing his volume whenever Cisco or Caitlin tried to push back. As the kicking continued against his ribs, Leonard rolled his eyes and walked away. Within normal ranges or not, he wanted to keep his blood pressure down, and being around West wouldn't help.

 

Arguing seemed to be all they were capable of doing without Barry. Sure, Wally took up the position of city superhero, but nobody believed it was going well, especially as it put Cisco on the street. Vibe held his own, especially when Golden Glider pulled an assist and Len made the plans, but a hole stretched out beneath their feet, and everybody just tip-toed around the edges waiting to see who would be the next to fall in. 

 

"Hey...Len?" Wally shuffled up toward him as he headed down the hall to go back home.

 

"Kid Flash," Len greet with a nod.

 

Scratching the back of his head, Wally studied the ground. "I'm sorry about Dad. He's not really great at grieving."

 

"Not a skill anybody wants to master."

 

"Still, he's being a jerk, and it's not even like he thinks of you like that anymore. You've really helped all the metas from the first round and even Flash Point. We wouldn't have been able to keep up with everything if it weren't for you. I mean, we've like tripled the number of superheroes around the country thanks to you," Wally exclaimed. "And I know you don't want to take on Team Flash's strategy coordinator permanently, but you and Caitlin really do a good job together. It'd be awesome if you could stick around when we get Barry back...or I don't know, maybe help out star Team Kid Flash?"

 

"Maybe." Len shrugged. "Wouldn't mind it."

 

"Yeah, I mean, Barry's the heart of Team Flash, but I'm pretty sure you're the brain."

 

Leonard hummed. "Hardly. No one around here's a dullard. Rather nice change in pace."

 

"That's what Hartley's been saying too." Wally grinned, and the strangeness of the 'kid' in Kid Flash didn't seem so odd. Just like Barry, an eternal optimist pretending to be an adult. The college student shook his head. "Anyway, I just wanted you to know you've definitely got this West on Team ColdFlash."

 

"Excuse you?"

 

"Team ColdFlash...like...your ship name?" The grin got a little less kid and a bit more goofy teen. "LenBarry didn't sound right, and Snallen just sounds gross. Lisa suggested Len-Bar, but Mick said you'd ice anyone who said that." He held up his hands, palms facing Len. "It's not like we had a ship-name meeting or anything, but sometimes you and Caitlin take a while with the ultrasound appointments, and we all want to see the baby, so...we find things to talk about. I mean, your baby is kinda Team Flash's bastion of hope right now, so really, we're all Team Baby Flash? Does that make sense? Anyway, I just wanted you to know we're on your side. I'm on your side, and I think any kid would be lucky to have you as a dad."

 

A small upward curve crept onto Len's lips. Patting the kid on the shoulder, Leonard said, "Thanks. Now go smooth things over. Your dad's digging a hole with your sister."

 

"Wait? She told him she's on our side? Crap!" And in a flash, Kid Flash raced away. 


	20. Chapter 20

While Cisco and Len focused on adjusting the 'Speed Force Bazooka' with Felicity and Curtis piping in over the line on different aspects, Hartley and Caitlin covered around Len. At thirty-eight weeks, looking down came with a bag of mixed emotions. He was well within normal weight gains for a first pregnancy - especially at his age, and knowing she was growing and healthy took away a bit of the pain of Barry's absence, but his own body stretched in strange way. His pelvis creaked when he stood up, and if he wasn't careful, his gravity shifted too far back in the chair, making it difficult to stand. 

 

"Maybe you should sit down," Hartley suggested when Len stretched out the kink in his lower back for the third time.

 

Len gritted his teeth. "I'm fine."

 

"Should you really be this close to it?" Caitlin asked with a frown. "I know the baby's already a meta, but what if it does something to you?"

 

"Might make me able to keep up with this one once she's born," Len retorted.

 

"Hey! You paying attention there, Iceman?" Felicity called over the line. "If you don't keep the coolant lines appropriately aligned, we're risking another dark matter wave!"

 

"There's going to be a bit of link even if it's align perfectly," Curtis murmured, studying the schematics again. 

 

Caitlin frowned, crossing her arms. "We're looking at new metas then."

 

"Not if we do it where we planned. We've looked at different tour routes in the area and there's not enough other traffic to worry about somebody stumbling there. I mean, seriously, I'm vibing everyone to the out look point," Cisco pointed out. He closed the panel he was working on and tested the current. "Believe me, I don't want any new meta superbads showing up and ruining my and Lisa's wedding day."

 

"Nobody's ruining my baby sister's big day," Len assured the younger man.

 

Mick walked into the room with Wally. Each carried a stack of takeaway food. "Pause the work, squints. We've got fuel."

 

Felicity sighed, leaning back on the video screen in her chair to stretch. "Well, guess we're signing off for lunch?"

 

"Yeah, give us a half-hour then we'll be back," Cisco told them.  
  


"Got it!" Felicity chirped, and Team Arrow signed off.

 

As the rest of the crew turned to burgers and fries, Hartley sidled over to where Leonard sat, glaring at the gun in frustration. "You've got a back-up plan for this, right?" When Len refocused his glare on him, Hartley held up his hands. "Deals still a deal. This fails, however many attempts you want to put yourself through - whenever you head out of Central, I'm with you all the way."

 

"Not going anywhere, Rathaway," Len retorted, ignoring the meta for the rest of the day because every time the Pied Piper popped up in the corner of his vision, questions came around he wasn't ready to answer.

 

Even when the door to their home closed behind him with Mick Rory puttering around in the kitchen, Len couldn't allow himself to think. He sat down in his chair with his feet up on the ottoman. Each breath ached in his chest. Closing his eyes, Len rested on hand on the leather. The other sat over his baby. Every kick vibrated through his skin, but they never moved him fast enough to catch him Barry. When he opened his eyes, Mick stood in front of him with his arms crossed over his chest.

 

"Sandes house is ready," the pyro informed him. His brows furrowed. "But you already knew that."

 

"Yes."

 

Mick frowned. "You have a house. No reason to run. Everyone knows about the baby. Why did you go through with Sandes?"

 

"As I said before, if you want to stay and play hero, I'm fine with that," Len informed him. "Without Barry...well, there's not much for me here in Central City."

 

"Your sister. Any of her future spawn. Caitlin, Cisco - the whole of Team Flash."

 

"There isn't a street in this city that doesn't have a memory of Barry and me," Len pressed his lips into a line. "A house without Barry. A lab without Barry. Every street in Central City a reminder. That's what I'll have."

 

"People have had less."

  
  


Len's blue eyes pierced daggers at Mick. "And the multiverse? West isn't all wrong - this baby was an accident - a fucking miracle. Barry might love me now, but over how many dimensions did she come into being - or any baby between Barry and me? All those timelines...I probably died in most, and Barry saved the day, going home to Iris - maybe even Caitlin, who knows who. And he'll see them all in the Speed Force. Every last one where he's better off than he is with me."

 

"Big picture's like you. This big though," Mick shook his head, sitting beside Len's feet on the ottoman.

 

They remained across form each other, sitting in silence. Leonard Snart and Mick Rory - a devilish pair of rogues until the end, but exhaustion ached in Len's bones. All the possibilities in the universe seemed so much more intimidating when he folded them over in his mind an infinite fold. When he used to think about it when they'd first joined the Legends, all Len had seen was the rush of the adventure. Diving across the universe, picking the pockets of Russian scientists and surprising the all-seeing time masters. Everything was just one big adventure, but this? A child? He'd wanted children once...and he wanted her now, but without Barry, she sat inside his soul as a consolation prize rather than an affirmation. That thought sunk through him, leaving a trail of self-hatred and guilt.

 

Mick rested a hand on Len's calf. "None of that happened here. Here, in this universe - the only one that matters, Barry loves you. You're gonna have his baby."

 

"Leonora," Len whispered. 

 

An 'L' for him and Lisa - Nora for Barry. Leo if she turned out to be a he. He hadn't even admitted he wanted to name her that to Barry. Mick nodded - not saying a thing, but his presence warmed the room. Not like Barry's, but enough to stave off the cold which crawled out from within Len's soul. Enough to silence the cogs of Len's self-cruelty at least for the time being. 


	21. Chapter 21

 

All the planning - the universe sneered down. If this was punishment for everything Len had ever done wrong, he'd curse and rue fate all the same. Eyes narrowed, Leonard Snart focused on Cisco's presentation. The pain surged across his body, but the timer had clocked to zero minutes ago. He'd counted down with each day, so none of this came as a surprise. Clenching his hands into fists, Len nodded when Cisco glanced his way.

  
"Clear to go," Len managed to grit out. 

 

Cisco nodded. His dark hair bounced up and down with the motion. "Then we're set. Let's head out."

 

At his side, Caitlin glanced down at her wristwatch. "You all go ahead. Leonard and I decided there's too big of an exposure risk with the dark matter."

 

Blue eyes jumped to the doctor's, but Len didn't get a chance to speak. Lisa jumped to her feet. "What? But Lenny said..."

 

"No," Len coughed to cover the groan. "Doc's right."

 

Mick frowned. His eyes dropped to Len's stomach. He wouldn't say anything, but the thought sketched itself in the lines on his face. Drawing his gun, he spun it around his finger, causing the rest of Team Flash to tense. For all the trust they proclaim when it was convenient, there would always be some uncertainty between them. A healthy dose of realism as far as Len was concerned.

 

"Thought we came here to free Len's baby daddy? Or are we just gonna sit around chit-chatting?" Mick grumbled, holstering his weapon after another eye-catching spin.

 

When everyone left, Len bowed his head. Panting instead of breathing. His body's betrayed him again. For the last six days, he'd plead for her to stay in just a bit longer. Every clock he had ever measured correctly now chilled his spine. He hated being wrong, but being right left everyone else off to save Barry. Up until last month, he'd thought he might have more time. Any length would've been welcomed. 

 

  
"He's supposed to be here," Len whispered, knowing Caitlin could hear him in the silent lab.

 

She doesn't speak. Her lips pressed into a thin line when she helped him to the bed bay. Eddie Thawne wasn't there. Not anymore. Somewhere in a facility miles away, tracing designs in dirt and trying to fathom the insanity buzzing around his head whenever he's too close to people or left alone too long. Any pity Len might've had for Iris evaporated with the knowledge he'd likely be in the same place, but while Iris trusted doctors to know better than her, Len refused. If Barry came back outside of his own mind, Len would take him home. It all felt a bit too Sleeping Beauty for him in the end. Their daughter coming into the world alongside her father. 

 

Slamming his fist against the bed, he leaned over the mattress. Caitlin's merciful silence allowed him to dive into his own brain. The clocks trembled. They're not really clocks, but the numbers and calculations written across the walls of his mind gave him everything and not enough. Dilating came slow, but he'd been at it for a while. Caitlin helped him out of his pants and shirt. The maternity gown drew a sneer, but he wasn't about to complain. He'd had minor breast tissue swelling, but not enough for there to be anything there for the baby. At least, he hoped not. He'd filled the cabinets with formula. He'd have to take some time before going back on testosterone, but he wanted his body back as soon as possible. 

 

Caitlin didn't tell him it'll be okay. She wouldn't lie like that to him. Even if he had the ideal birth, there would be damage. Hips too narrow. Age with healing too slow. His heart fluttered, and time slowed a tick before snapping back. He wondered, briefly, if Barry had done that. Maybe he saw them coming and pushed the baby back to her Papa- back to being born. 

 

In the back of his mind, another clock counted down. He had two hours to give birth before Cisco's gun went off. The wave of dark matter wouldn't reach the lab, but he wanted to be there. Groaning, Len slammed his fist against the bed.

 

"Damn it!" he roared. "You couldn't have been patient! You were supposed to be late, like your father always is."

 

Caitlin's brown eyes weighed down on him. Sagging against the bed, Len tried to stretch his hips. Somewhere between the start of labor and now, a kink had managed to get into his lower spine, and each wave made it worse. Resting her hand on his shoulder, Caitlin rubbed his back.

 

"You can do this, Leonard," she told him.

 

Scoffing, the cold criminal glared down at the white hospital blankets. "Didn't think I'd be doing this alone."

 

"The Speed Force bazooka is going to work," Caitlin replied, but he could see the tension around the corners of her eyes. 

 

"Fuck. I'm never doing this again," Len grumbled. 

 

Caitlin stepped away. "Do you want the ball?"

 

When he nodded, she pulled it out, bringing it over to him. Settling back, he commanded, "Sticking to the plan, Snow."

 

"You should have told me this morning when it first started," Caitlin scolded, but she moved around the room, finalizing the preparations for a water birth. "You've got to let me call someone in. If you go unconscious, I can't lift you on my own."

 

"Not a chance, Snow. Everybody's on Barry duty."

 

"Not everybody," Mick corrected, leaning against the door. "You didn't think I'd let you go through this alone."

 

"What if Cisco needs you?" Len growled, but as another contraction washed over him, he couldn't maintain his rage. Exhaustion filled him in its place. 

 

Setting his holster and gun aside, Mick crouched to squat beside his partner. "He's tearing a whole in space-time to get your boy toy back. Not really my thing."

 

"And babies are?"

 

Mick smirked. "Gotta make sure you give her the right middle name."

 

"I've got the certificate all written up - think I remembered Leonora Michelle Allen just fine," Len groused.

 

Eyebrows pinched together, Caitlin set her hands on her hips. "All written up? I understand you switched your sex in the system, but I thought you and Barry were actually doing this the legal way."

 

"And leave a paper trail? Hardly," Len sneered.

 

Caitlin shook her head but didn't argue. Grumbled curses from Len and ill-timed jokes filled the room instead. An hour counted down on the clock which clicked down to two. . No one returned to the office. None of their cell phones rang or dinged with a message. When three hours came around without word, Len sobbed into the sheets. Moving into the water, Len glared at Caitlin and Mick, but any threat he'd intended out of his physical insecurity drowned in the next wave of labor. The word sped up around him. Caitlin's eyes widened comically slowly. Leaning back, Len closed his eyes. They should've known. What was the most terror inducing time for an unborn child if not their birth?

 

"Damn it, Barry," Len growled. "Where the fuck are you?"

 

Alone in a world going to fast, Len hooked his arms on the outside of the tub, too uncertain of his own strength to even attempt to get out. Red flashed before his eyes, but he refused to hope Barry had come. Tears trailed down his face, and lips pressed against the side of his neck. Muscles tensed, Len gasped.

 

"Miss you," Barry whispered. His green eyes sparkled. 

 

Len sobbed, dragging Barry down into a kiss. "Don't you ever fucking leave me again, Scarlet."

 

"I'm not going anywhere," Barry promised, wrapping his arms around Len. "I've got you, Len. Nearly killed me being without you. Seeing everything you went through and...shit, Len, I'm pretty sure I've screwed up the multiverse bad this time."

 

"This time?" Len quipped, but his eyes widened. Wrenching one hand down between his legs, Len cursed. "She's...fuckfuckfuck." 

 

"We'll get through this together; I promise," Barry whispered.

 

With Barry beside him, the fear slipped away. They could do this. Together. Choking back a cry of pain, Leonard Snart brought his daughter into the world. He scooped her up, pressing her against his chest as time slowed around them. From her sparse curls of brown hair to her ten perfect toes, she stole Len's breath away. Caitlin rushed into action, and Mick clapped Barry on the back.

 

"Congrats, kid!" Mick cheered. 

 

When Caitlin lifted the baby to clean and take her vitals, Mick followed. Len grimaced as the afterbirth followed,but his hands held tightly to Barry's. Green eyes poured over with tears. 

  
"She's so beautiful," the speedster sobbed. 

 

Len nodded. Too afraid to speak. Barry leaned down, stealing the thief's lips in a kiss. With Caitlin's instructions, they moved Len to the bed. Mick stepped outside the room, crossing his arms over his chest like a body guard as Caitlin checked Len over. Rushing back and forth between his love and their child, Barry never stopped crying. His smile shined so bright.

 

"You are lucky," Caitlin informed him even as she stitched him up. "This tearing could have been a lot worse considering."

 

"Her eyes are so blue! Do you think they'll stay like that?" Barry asked, lifting the small baby into his arms with an awed reverence that threatened to ruin Len completely. 

 

"Maybe," Caitlin murmured, pulling back and lifting the blanket over Len. "Bed rest - twenty-four hours minimum. No frisky business."

 

"Not exactly in the mood for anything frisky," Len drawled as Barry sat on the edge of his bed, holding their daughter and still in his red Flash uniform.

 

Nodding, Caitlin backed away. "Then I'll give you two some time to catch up."

 

Handing their newborn daughter to Len, Barry fitted his feet onto the bed. "We make the best babies."

 

"Baby." Len stared down at her dark little lashes and button nose. "Maybe babies."

 

Barry practically glowed. "I love you."

 

"I know," Len smirked, and Barry kissed him. As they broke apart, the thief whispered, "Love you too."

 

"Len..." Barry's brows furrowed. His smile slid into pressed lips. "Every second in the Speed Force was agony. I watched you die a thousand ways - and live in a thousand more without me. I couldn't bear it. I couldn't...and I think I screwed up, and I'll be sorry if it gets back to this - to us, but I couldn't let those other yous die even when they weren't you. Everybody and everything else kept fading away, but you didn't. All these thoughts and words and equations jumped around in my head, but all I had to do was think of you - think of our baby - think of home."

 

"You realize we aren't together in all those multiverses," Len replied.

 

Barry laughed. "We should've been. We should be together in every universe. You, me,..." Green eyes landed on their daughter. "Leonora...you're so perfect, Len. Me and you, we're perfect together, and it's terrifying to think how close this was to not happening. I don't want to miss a moment, Len."

 

"Me too, Scarlet."

 

"Marry me."

 

Len blinked, cocking a brow at the speedster. "Barry..."

 

"You can probably come up with an infinite list of why it's a bad idea, but I want this with you," Barry confessed. "I want normal with you. I want meta with you. I don't care what as long as it's with you. You see me, and I see you..."

 

"Yes."

 

Barry's eyes lit up. His megawatt smile jumped back into place. "Yes? Yes yes?"

 

"Yes yes."

 

Curling around Len, Barry kissed him. Clocks tumbled. Hour glasses slammed on their sides. Every piece of Len honed in on this moment. His daughter in his arms, the love of his life by his side - nothing mattered but this. Anything coming, they'd face together. Ice and lightning - Cold and Flash. 

 

"Hey!" Caitlin called. "No frisky business!"

 

"Yes, ma'am," Barry said, but his eyes never left Len's. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was going to have Barry come back with some funny symbol brain action, but I thought we'd go for a quicker, happier ending. Putting a stamp on this as done. \\(x_x)/


End file.
